NATURE GARDEN - 7m (plus extra) metalwork wall mural

Happy artists with part of Nature Garden on installation day!

We are very proud to announce the installation of this massive project. It has been 5 months in the making, and lucky to get to this final point with our current restrictions in place. Special thanks to Julie Brooks for steering the project, to Rowan for helping me through every stage and keeping the household running while I am distracted, and to our awesome install team, Brent and Rodney for putting this up today, while I made last minute changes!!!!

Mr. Spoonbill

Tree, Owl and secret ladybug....

The brief for this exterior wall of the City of Greater Geelong's second early learning and family centre in Drysdale, was to extend the same natural themes that we created at the Geelong centre, but to expand the tree into a garden.....
The tree, owl, daisy motifs and butterflies were a reflection of the artwork we completed at the end of 2019.
The garden concept grew to include the beautiful Drysdale lake with many examples of birdlife you regularly see.

The installation team checking out the ducklings

I enjoyed filling the design with hidden surprises for the children and families using the centre to discover.....a spider web, ladybug, owl and butterflies.....

Mr Swan and Mrs Duck

Here are a few images from my studio and skecth book to show the progress this project took.....

original concept sketch

I broke the 7m design down into 9 smaller sections. This allowed us to physically create them in our tiny studio, and also fit them in a van to transport them safely.
​These sections also needed to make visual sense, and were actually complete compositions in themselves!

Dragonfly Magic

When creating an artwork of this size, for a building that was also being completed....challenges sometimes are needed to overcome. This was certainly the case on install day when we discovered that a security gate had been installed directly where my design was planned......after some quick on the spot re-designing, I decided to install this Dragonfly piece and the Chocolate Lilies on another section of wall that leads the viewer to the main piece!
In the end I was happy for this change, because I truly believe the main design would have been too busy, and it now has a perfect balance of space for the eye to rest!
​Improvise, adapt and overcome!!!! x

Chocolate Lilies

These Lilies, along with the Knobby Reeds and the Bull rushes were all chosen for the design because of their inspiring shapes, and the fact that they are native flora of the Bellarine.
Having 7m plus to play with meant we wanted variety of design throughout.....
​Rowan was a big reason these Lilies were made, and I love them! They may even feature in a mirror frame design in the future!

Duckling in progress

Rodney with a halo

Final words......NATURE GARDEN was also meant to capture the feeling of family and nurturing that this centre provides....The Duck leads her ducklings across the lake, Spoonbill and Swan watch on like guardians. The owl in the tree symbolises learning and the butterflies flutter off into the future full of hope and promise.
​Thanks again to the COGG, and we look forward to what's next......