A LIMESTONE Coast artist has enlisted the creative minds of Tenison Woods College arts students to help craft a mural for Mount Gambier’s Commerce Arcade.
The thoroughfare, linking Commercial Street West to Commerce Place car park, is currently a hive of activity as work continues on the mural.
The brainchild of Justin Clarke, the project received funding through Mount Gambier City Council’s Creative Arts Fund with the arcade now brightened up by images of flowers, waves and other nature-based designs drawn by students.
Working with the Shine theme, inspired by the college’s motto, Mr Clarke attended art classes at the school to brainstorm ideas before a final design was created.
“The mural is in an area where there are a significant amount of people going past and seeing it each day which is fantastic,” Mr Clarke said.
“And working with young people who are so eager and keen to be a part of something like this makes it much more fun.”
Overseeing production, Mr Clarke gave students a print out of the finalised design and placed specific colours along the mural to help guide the young artists.
“The overall design just takes elements from each student’s design and I incorporated them all into the final design, making it as close to their original design as I could,” he said.
“When they walk past now they will see their work up on a wall rather than just an interpretation of their work and they will be able to feel a sense of pride.”
Speaking on the importance of public street art, Mr Clarke commended City Council for funding the project.
“Allowing artists to have the opportunity to put themselves out there while beautifying the city is fantastic,” he said.
“We do hope more of this happens because the more art the more the town becomes a tourist attraction where it can then lead to bigger things.
“It also inspires the local artists and just overall benefits everyone.”
Mr Clarke said the current global pandemic provided an opportune time to complete the mural.
“If we start to do things like this it really is uplifting,” he said.
The mural is planned to be completed by the end of June.
