Tyler Redway
UNITING Communities has had a colourful facelift, which has taken the form of a hand-painted mural, shortly after moving their Mount Gambier office to Helen Street.
Mural artist Guiyong Zhu, more commonly known as Zhuzhu, said this was her first outdoor project in Mount Gambier and talked more about the mural’s theme, ‘Proud To Be Yourself’.
“The rainbow, a sign of peace, hope, and new beginnings, is incorporated to deliver a message of optimism and encourage positivity,” Zhuzhu said.
“The echinacea, or coneflowers, with their association to health, strength, and healing symbolizes hope and serves as a reminder that healing is possible.
“The gesture of hugging oneself is a powerful reminder of the importance of loving and accepting one’s self.
“The butterfly, a powerful beacon of growth and transformation, is used to signify the incredible feats of transformation that can be achieved when one trusts oneself.”
Zhuzhu said together these elements were blended in a way which effectively communicated a message encouraging individuals to be proud of who they were.
She said this mural also represented the purpose of Uniting Communities in helping those in need find the courage to move forward by enriching their lives and uniting their own communities.
“It means a lot to me that local people came to say hello and express their appreciation for my work,” Zhuzhu said.
“Every project is unique to me and this particular wall surface was uneven and rough, which gave me an opportunity to improve my spray-painting skills and time management abilities while problem solving.”
While the project took six days in total to complete, Zhuzhu mentioned the Uniting Communities staff and clients also helped her paint the lower portion of the mural.
“One of the goals of this project was to bring people together and build connections,” she said.
“Painting a mural can also be a therapeutic process, and we hoped people would find peace through this project.”
Zhuzhu’s other works in Mount Gambier include designing a mural for headspace Mount Gambier while also conducting a workshop for headspace staff to guide them in painting her designed mural.
She also said there were no plans for any other projects in Mount Gambier but hoped to return to the region soon.
“I would like to thank Uniting Communities and the City of Mount Gambier for giving me the opportunity to be involved in this project, and I’m especially grateful to Robyn Southland and Leonie Castle for their trust and support,” Zhuzhu said.
“I look forward to returning to the area to work on additional art projects, as I love the place and its people.”
