The Rainbow Beach Water Tower Mural Workshop – The Journey Begins
From left, local artists Mo Riggs and Scott Taylor with mural artist EJ Zyla in front of the workshop mural. Photo credit: Denise Orr
Murals on silos and water towers have become a growing feature of many Australian townships and throughout the rural countryside, and these amazing works of art have become a real tourist attraction.
Queensland has upwards of 45 water tower artworks scattered about the state, and thanks to the hard work and dedication of the team of volunteers from the Rainbow Beach Community Centre, along with a team of local artists, our town may soon be added to the list – with the first steps on the journey to realising the dream of having our very own artwork being displayed on the water tower situated at the carpark entrance to the walking trail to the Sand Blow.
A trial mural for the training of local artists has recently come to life at the Community Centre.Several artists joined with EJ Zyla, mural artist from Wolvi, to complete the trial artwork under her direction, giving wise and practical advice in the application and techniques for a large-scale piece of differing painting styles of expression and detail.
The art piece created is expressive of the local fauna and flora, founded on the twisted branch structures evident in the Sand Blow forest walk close to the water tank. Colours, textures, forms and scale are comprised in the various elements of interest and stimulate the imagination of the viewers by the elements included.
The successful funding application for the artwork workshop was directed to the participation and collaboration of local resident artists being trained for the future water tank mural next year. The conditions of the funding included the mural artist to be from the Gympie region, a resident artist of experience, and of a suitable personality to train and direct our local artists of various skills and mediums.
Several artists of accomplished skills were invited and submitted relevant concepts for the group to consider the values of the local community. All of the submissions presented by the community in response to the early call for concepts were reviewed and included in discussions for EJ to evolve the example art piece.
The community’s aspirations and qualities of life were summarised as being the conservation and preservation of a quiet, peaceful, relaxed, and enjoyable lifestyle “living with nature”.
The example presents the embodiment of these aspirations in the natural environment qualities, whilst the social qualities and values will be expressed in the future mural of significant size to the water tank.
The community now has a 5m x 3.5m art panel to be installed in a public location to improve the visual environment quality of the township. A search is currently underway to find a suitable location to display the trial art panel.
The Community Centre sincerely thanks EJ in her work, attendance and respect for Rainbow Beach as evident in her enthusiasm and energy to be responsive to the opportunity and the community at large, and she is welcomed to return for the future opportunity of the larger scale Water Tank Mural.
No doubt there will be many ups and downs and obstacles as the journey continues, but the desire and enthusiasm amongst all participants to take this wonderful project to its successful conclusion is firmly in place.
Follow the journey of the water tower mural in our upcoming monthly updates.
Denise Orr
