We of the Bibbulmun
Image source
Artist: Tjyllyungoo (Lance Chadd)
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: 22 Harvey St
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: “Ngarngungudditj Waargyl (the Bearded Python) created the estuary nurseries at Australind and formed the whole Collie River, including Brunswick and Preston Rivers, finally resting in Mininyup Pool. He is the spirit in all waters.
Culturally ‘Waargyl’ (Water Python) belongs to our Bibbulman people or you might say the Bibbulman people belong to Wargyl. He is all Law, both omnipotent and omnipresent, all knowing and all seeing. He is the creation spirit and both the punisher and rewarder.
In the old days Nyoongar people were law abiding people who lived in awe, fear and respect for ‘Waargyl’. ‘Waargylung’ is what we call punishment from Waargyl. There are many stories associated with Waargyl, like in the beginning when laws were created and given.
The Rainbow Serpent represents water and all the river systems and estuaries. Is both Male and Female. Waargyl is the giver of life and all totemic/Boorongur, governing lore of connection.” Tjyllyungoo/Lance Chadd
About the artist:
Lance Chadd, a Bibbulmun Nyoongar/Budimia Yamatji Aboriginal artist born in the South West town of Bunbury, works under his traditional tribal name ‘Tjyllyungoo’ (meaning, Elder Man/Wisdom/Law, given to him by his Father, Norman Chadd, a well-known Drover of Yamatji Country). His name and breathtaking work are known, recognised and respected throughout South Western Australian and International art circles, South Western Aboriginal communities, art curators and researchers on South Western Aboriginal Art and artists. He is known as one of the most senior and important Nyoongar artists alive.
Tjyllyungoo has painted professionally since 1981, and his paintings are in many collections worldwide and locally including the Art Gallery of Western Australia, Parliament House and the Berndt Museum Collection. His 3D sculptures and public artworks expressed throughout WA with career pinnacle sculpture WIRIN standing tall and strong in Yagan Square Perth CBD.
Tjyllyungoo is prolific in his mastery of depicting Australian landscapes, with constantly evolving work producing progressively more powerful collections, as he skilfully weaves the intangible Nyoongar spiritual beliefs and stories, through landforms, in paintings and in 3D Public artworks. These exquisite expressions allow easy access for the viewer to search and find understanding of Nyoongar culture and how the land and spirit of the people are inseparable. His peoples take pride in and are inspired by his work, remembering and maintaining their identity, strength of spirit and sense of belonging in their homeland Boodja.
Pit Pony
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Shakey (Jacob butler)
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: 62 Forrest St
Provenance: Shire of collie
Description: After spending a day with the staff at the Coalfields Museum and Historical Research Centre, Shakey was inspired by local mining history and the stories of pit ponies once used in Collie’s coal mines. Referencing photographs sourced from the museum, Shakey has painted an imagined story of children running off with a pit pony to play miner for the day.
About the artist:
Shakey (Jacob Butler) is an artist based in Fremantle, Western Australia. Jacob works in many mediums including acrylics, oils, pastel and aerosol. Jacob’s essential tremor that existed from birth got him branded ‘Shakey’, giving him his unique, free-flowing, intuitive style. Jacob’s art career began on the wharf in 2013, where he experimented using paint and colour for the first time whilst decorating his workmate’s hard-hats. The demand for Jacob’s artwork grew fast as well as his passion and drive to paint bigger and better. Since becoming a full-time artist he has been invited to paint live in front of large audiences for private concerts, gala balls, weddings and large charity events internationally, with his paintings yielding very successful results due to the raw energy put into his work whilst under pressure. His recent painting for Telethon 2020, televised and painted over 10 hours, raised $25,000 for Telethon. Since 2018 Jacob has developed a very successful and exclusive live wedding portrait painting business, which sees him frequently travelling across the country to paint wedding portraits in the major cities. During the winter season, Jacob focuses his energies on large-scale murals across Western Australia and is currently working towards his second exhibition. His story has been featured in the West Australian, Channel 7’s Today Tonight, on radio and via an award winning short film, Shakey’s Story.
Collie-Cardiff RSL Tribute
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Shakey (Jacob Butler)
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: 1 Lefroy St (Collie-Cardiff RSL)
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: “After meeting with the Collie-Cardiff RSL, visiting the Collie Local History Collection and the Coalfields Museum and Research Centre, and talking with other Collie locals, I was struck by the profound impact that war has had on the history of Collie. It’s been said that the town has sent more of its population to war (on a per capita basis) than any other community in Australia.
Instead of capturing the devastating side of war, I wanted to create an uplifting mural that focuses on camaraderie, mateship and the loyalty that each soldier has for one another. I chose the iconic game of two-up as the driver behind the mural – a game that was enjoyed before, during and after times of war, that links servicemen and women together.
The first scene in the mural depicts two-up being played during the different wars throughout history. Some of the portraits are of Collie servicemen, including VC winner Martin O’Meara as well as current RSL members.
The second scene is recreation of the RSLWA logo, modified in 1990 to include a sailor, soldier, airman and servicewoman. The portraits are of proud, happy servicemen and women including an Aboriginal infantryman, acknowledging Collie as the town that is believed to be the first place in Western Australia to acknowledge Aboriginal servicemen in a formal war memorial.
The remaining scenes include a portrait of Ron ‘Collie Boy’ Miffling sharing a photo of his wife and child with a fellow soldier. The depiction represents the act of sharing and storytelling, as well as the sacrifice that servicemen and women make by leaving their loved ones behind. Also among the portraits is a depiction of Martin O'Meara VC, who rescued up to 25 soldiers from no-man's land, a representation of the importance of never leaving your fellow soldier behind – both during and after the war.” Shakey (Jacob Butler)
About the artist:
Jacob Butler (Shakey) is a young, self-taught artist based in Fremantle. Jacob works in many mediums including acrylics, oils, pastel and aerosol. Jacob’s essential tremor that existed from birth got him branded ‘Shakey’, giving him his unique, free-flowing, intuitive style. Since becoming a full-time artist he has been invited to paint live in front of large audiences for private concerts, gala balls, weddings and large charity events internationally, with his paintings yielding very successful results due to the raw energy put into his work whilst under pressure. He is currently working on large scale murals and performing live wedding art in and around Australia. Between commissions he also continues his art workshops for people with disabilities and is working towards his second exhibition.
Hit the Trails
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Sioux Tempestt
Asset Type: Street Art
Year of Work: 2020
Location: Collie Visitor Centre, 156 Throssell St
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: This contemporary artwork encourages involvement, interaction and imagination, offering viewers an intangible and emotional experience. The site specific narrative aims to connect with visitors to stimulate investigation.
The ground level artwork is interactive, inviting visitors on a journey of discovery linking directly with elements found in the local Collie area including the kangaroo paw, the spider orchid, wattle flowers, banksia, karri tree flower and local water bodies. The colours are derived from the earthen colours of the land, local flora and natural bush land, plus the turquoise of the nearby lakes. The overlaying lines replicate nature’s energy and are symbolic of the many trails throughout Collie. Filled with energy and excitement, the mural offers a vibrant welcome to the town and the Visitor Centre.
About the artist:
In addition to studio-based works, Sioux’s practice employs a multi-disciplinary approach, generating mural, public, sculptural and digital art which meaningfully contributes to its context. Sioux enjoys pushing the boundaries of her practice by traversing across different mediums and scale of works. She produces public artworks with site specific narrative connecting with community to create a sense of place. Her work fuses colour and form through contemporary, thought provoking abstracted shapes and patterns. Sioux’s studio paintings intuitively fuse colour and form to investigate the integration of abstract expressionism within different environments. Her work is held in the Ronald McDonald House and City of South Perth collections.
Black Diamond
Image source Shire of Collie
Artist: Natalie Veal
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: 101 Throssell St
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: Black Diamond, by local artist Natalie Veal, depicts one of her favourite places, a beautiful spring-fed swimming area – Black Diamond Lake. This lake was once an open pit mine, and is now a picturesque recreational place of tranquillity and fun.
About the artist:
Born in 1967, Natalie considers at least 50 years of her life to have been filled extraordinarily with art in some form, drawing and painting on everything with anything from a very young age. Natalie drew her first lifelike portrait of her Great-Grandfather at the age of eleven, and painted her first portrait in oils of little sister Chantelle not long after. Throughout Natalie’s life, art has been a comfort, an inspiration, a communicator and a wonderful form of expression.
The Bones of Collie
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Marina Lommerse, Michael Phillips
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: 143 & 127 Throssell St
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: “A sixth-generation Collie resident described Collie’s industrial history as, ‘the bones of this town’. The Collie township originated as a mining town with its post-colonial heritage steeped in coal mining, forestry, and railways.
The industry and natural resources are interrelated. Timber was required to house the settlers, build the railways, feed the steam engines, and structure the underground coal tunnels. The rail was essential to bring in settlers and supplies, to carry coal out of the mines and get the coal to market. The whole township of Collie is riddled by underground tunnels. Tunnels under the river, the highway, the cemetery, and the houses and commercial buildings.
Over the 65-meter long gradient of this mural, colours reflect Collie’s lakes, river, sky, forest, wildflowers and bushland. Overlaid are ‘short stories’ (the mural is only 50 cm high) of legs, tools, implements, underground coal tunnel maps, wildflowers and corellas hint at the early life and times in the timber, rail & coal industries.
The images have been abstracted from archival photographs and drawings that can be viewed in the Coalfields Museum and Historical Research Centre. It includes species endemic to the region — the Western Corella and wildflowers.” Marina Lommerse and Michael Phillips
The mural was researched, conceived, developed and then painted through a collaborative process facilitated by Michael and Marina. Michael and Marina kickstarted Mural Studio in 2020 to collaboratively undertake a mural painting process while also offering educational and social opportunities.
The Mural Studio team was made up of local Collie residents, architecture and interior architecture students and graduates, and our friends and family.
About the artists:
Marina Lommerse is a visual artist. She has exhibited, created public artworks, and lead community-based art projects in Australia and overseas. Her work has been funded by national and state arts and culture organisations, and city councils. Formerly a professor at Curtin University she was a Finalist, Australian Awards for University Teaching.
Michael Phillips is a mural artist, designer and educator. In 2014 Michael cofounded Ateliervivo – a program in Brazil that offers educational experiences through participants designing and building projects for local communities. One workshop, MuralStudio explores how murals can be collaboratively and efficiently created to improve public spaces. Michael also teaches architecture at Curtin University.
Local stories and archival research: Tom Reardon, Tania Roberts, Nola Green Mural Studio Artist team: Clifford Scanlan, James Russell, Jack Holmes, Camilo Idarraga, Joy Marshall, Danielle Marinho, Rose Phillips
Collie community collaborators: Alison Melvin, Stephen Melvin, Ellen Corbin, Rachael Williams, Thamarat Phokai, Ash Briggs, Tania Roberts
The Girl in the Shop Window
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Marina Lommerse, Michael Phillips
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: 72 Forrest St
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: “Collie residents remember the events that entertained them in shop windows as much as the goods on display. The scene depicted in the mural was inspired by archival research and conversations with long-term locals.
One intriguing story was the travelling hypnotist who put people to sleep and then displayed them in a shop window – selling tickets for the public to view.
Black and white TVs were introduced to Collie in the 1950s. Townspeople crowded around shop windows for a good possie. We set the scene with mid-century modern furniture and Manchester goods on display, in a black and white world of early television.
What is that bird in the crowd? Is it an emu? Is it a swan? It is, in fact, a man in a swan costume and was inspired by a photo we discovered in the Coalfields Museum.
During the painting process local Aboriginal Elder, James Kahn, requested we incorporate an image. See if you can find it.” Marina Lommerse and Michael Phillips
The mural was researched, conceived, developed and then painted through a collaborative process facilitated by Michael and Marina.
Michael and Marina kickstarted Mural Studio in 2020 to collaboratively undertake a mural painting process while also offering educational and social opportunities. The Mural Studio team was made up of a temporary Collie resident, architecture and interior architecture students and graduates, and our friends and family.
About the artists:
Marina Lommerse is a visual artist. She has exhibited, created public artworks, and lead community-based art projects in Australia and overseas. Her work has been funded by national and state arts and culture organisations, and city councils. Formerly a professor at Curtin University she was a Finalist, Australian Awards for University Teaching.
Michael Phillips is a mural artist, designer and educator. In 2014 Michael cofounded Ateliervivo – a program in Brazil that offers educational experiences through participants designing and building projects for local communities. One workshop, MuralStudio explores how murals can be collaboratively and efficiently created to improve public spaces. Michael also teaches architecture at Curtin University.
Local stories and archival research: Yvonne Hammond, Gloria Mathews, Margaret Bates, Tom Reardon, Tania Roberts, Alison Melvin, Nola Green, James Kahn Mural Studio
Artist team: Clifford Scanlan, Jack Holmes, Robyn Duncan
Collie community collaborator: Thamarat Phokai
River Lines
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Mikaela Miller
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: Pump house, corner of Crampton St and Steere St S
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: “River Lines speaks to the history and evolution of the stretch of Collie River that neighbours the Crampton St Pump House site, inspired by conversations with locals, news clippings from the 1964 Collie River flood, and research into the river’s ecology and management plans.
The story flows in three parts across the painted faces of the building, in a reflection of changing water levels and river health. It begins with the pre-European river environment; clear waters, prolific boronia and thriving jarrah forest. This is followed by a decline in water quality and fauna numbers as altered water flow and invasive species, such as nardoo weed, leave their impact. Then, the recovery begins and species such as gilgie return to healthier population numbers, and wildflowers like the Collie Grevillea can be nurtured and celebrated, as a balance is found between the natural and manufactured systems of the Collie River Valley.
This is the river’s journey in navigating competing recreational, commercial, cultural and ecological demands and thresholds, but it reflects much of Collie’s broader narrative and exists at a time where the town finds itself entering into a new chapter of its story. The scientific name for the Collie Grevillea, is Grevillea ripicola – where ‘ripicola’ roughly means ‘living by the bank of the river’.
I think this moment in time is a great opportunity for Collie to question what it means to live by the bank of the river, and to shape and champion what the privilege and responsibility of this lifestyle looks like.” Mikaela Miller
About the artist:
Mikaela Miller is young Western Australian artist living in Walyallup/ Fremantle. Having trained in both design and community development, she works predominantly as a public artist, print maker and as an arts facilitator - running workshops and coordinating community art projects.
Mikaela's work typically features native flora. She is fascinated by the variety and distribution of species around Australia, and the world. Her practice explores how endemic flowers can be both a complex and highly accessible subject matter to encourage viewers to consider place, identity and their relationship to the natural environment. These bright florals and her unique command of line, illustrating form and texture, can be found across metro and regional WA.
Her fascination with florals stem from her childhood - witnessing how her Grandfather’s prize-winning garden impacted the wider community and permeated simple human interactions. She learned how nature can enable generosity, joy, and connection. Her dedication to investigating species specific to each work’s locale is her way of understanding a place. In part, it reveals the character and vibrancy of that area. In part it can also help to unpack both the colonial and pre-colonial narratives there. Her innate curiosity, and passion for sustainability compel her to explore a place not only for what it is now, but also for what it once was, and what it could be (or could have been).
Mikaela has painted a variety of private commissions; large scale public works for local councils, developments and festivals; and coordinated a string of community murals - either working closely with youth and school groups or creatively engaging the broader community. Her studio works have been exhibited in solo and group shows around Perth & Fremantle.
The Sun and the Moon — the Moon and the Sun
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Kyle Hughes-Odgers
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: 44 Johnston St, Collie
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: The Sun and the Moon – the Moon and the Sun is an abstract artwork made up of six individual portrait panels. The images move in colour from warms to cool, tracking the movement of the day into night.
About the artist:
Kyle Hughes-Odgers (b.1981) is a multi-disciplinary Australian Visual Artist who works locally and globally on art projects across various formats - Murals, Gallery Exhibitions and 3D installations. His work explores colour theory, abstraction and narrative - Inspired by nature, the built environment and human behaviour. He has been exhibiting his work since 2005 including solo exhibitions in Perth, Melbourne, Berlin, Amsterdam, Madrid, Los Angeles and Vienna. His work is held in numerous private and public collections worldwide. In addition to his exhibition works, Kyle has created large scale murals in New York City, Washington DC, Los Angeles, London, Singapore, Madrid, Berlin, Cambodia, Iceland and across Australia.
Open Road
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Artist: Luke O'Donohoe
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: Cnr Burt St & Throssell St (on Burt St)
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: “My text-based artwork aims to celebrate the town of Collie in an authentic and captivating way. Drawing from the artistic style of Rosalie Gascoigne, and her famous assemblages of found road signs, I have selected words that give voice to significant parts of Collie’s history, and collaged them across the wall. Words were also chosen that possessed a certain poetic energy and nostalgic quality.” Luke O’Donohoe
About the artist:
Luke O’Donohoe is a Western Australian artist centring his practice on murals and public art. He has developed a recognizable artistic language expressed through a typography, graphic abstract compositions and gestural figurative painting. Luke endeavours to paint with authenticity, and uniquely give voice to important stories, characteristics or events of the place he is painting.
Creatures of the Night
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Jerome Davenport (Ketones6000)
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: Collie Sound Bowl, Collie Central Park
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: The mural concept revolves around the rush-tailed phascogale (Phascogale tapoatafa), also known by as the common wambenger, the black-tailed mousesack or the black-tailed phascogale
About the artist:
Jerome Davenport a.k.a. ‘Ketones6000’, is an Australian aerosol artist breathing new life into the world of modern art. His work is blurring the lines between graffiti, muralism and natural elements with incredible colour and percussion that resonates around the world. Named as an award winner in Australia’s eminent ‘Black Swan Portrait Awards’, Jerome has been leaving his artistic mark around the world, setting up shop in London throughout 2017/18/19, where he has been painting for numerous street art festivals around Europe and North America Including Blackburn’s ‘Open Walls’ Loures Public Street Art Festival, in Portugal, UpFest Bristol, Nelson international Mural festival Canada and ArtsWells Canada. Jerome is an artist for artists, he continually runs workshops and programs associated with giving up and comers a chance to develop as artists.
Golden Crust Bakery
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Jarred Martyn
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: 86 Steere St N
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: This mural depicts a horse pulling a cart belonging to the Golden Crust Bakery, which delivered bread and milk to the people of Collie until the 1950s when the carts were replaced by cars. Large draft horses were used to pull the carts, similar to the pit ponies which were used in the Collie mines.
It’s said that the horse was so familiar with the delivery route that it would continue on as the driver walked to deliver the bread, as depicted by the figure in the background of the scene. In addition, sizable horse stables once occupied the whole of nearby Johnston Street, from Steere to Lefroy Street.
About the artist:
Jarrad Martyn's practice explores how different moments in history have been framed and how we engage with spaces after they have become abandoned. Through painting and installation Martyn employs the principles of bricolage – something constructed from a diverse range of things – to bring together imagery and research to create a more conversational meaning of the history being explored. The use of paint which slips in-between figuration and expressionism encourages the audience to look longer to try and deduce what is unfolding and to ultimately consider how complicit they are prepared to be in that framing.
Dorsett Motors
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Jarrad Martyn
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: 88 Steere St N
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: This mural responds to the past use of the site as Dorsett Motors, a Ford car dealership from 1930 to 1980, and as one of the locations of the Collie Co-operative Store.
“The mural depicts a scene of shifting different time periods. I am drawn to the theatrical lighting that characterised many car advertisements of the 1970s and 1980s, and particularly how this creates a sense of drama that encourages narrative associations. By playing with and employing these conventions, the scene becomes loaded with ambiguity and potential for multiple interpretations. The mural uses several different cars to signify the years the dealership was operational. The foreground prominently features two 1981 Lasers, typifying the closing of the dealership. Conversely, in the background, a 1934 Model BB V8 Truck illustrates its opening.” Jarrad Martyn
Fading Habitat
Image source Esteban The Nature Man
Artist: Ian Mutch
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: 51 Steere St S (laneway)
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: Fading Habitat depicts the Baudin’s Cockatoo, or the White-Tailed Black Cockatoo, in flight, above abstract and hidden details portraying native plants and local blue waters. The Baudin’s Cockatoo is a different species to the Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo, and can be identified by its longer bill. These birds are normally seen in groups of three or more, and are endemic to Australia’s South West. They nest in the hollows of old marri, karri, wandoo, tuart and bullich trees.
Baudin’s Cockatoos are currently at risk of extinction. Protecting their habitat is vitally important, particularly old growth forests. Two-thirds of Australia is privately-managed rural land, with private land-owners playing an increasingly important role in the conservation of these birds and other threatened species. If you have the opportunity, start by planting a Marri tree.
Subterranean Marron
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Jackson Harvey, Ed Riley
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: Pump house, corner of Medic St and Harvey St, Collie
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: Subterranean Marron tells the story of a colony of marron that was bred deep beneath the earth during Collie’s days of underground coal mining.
To develop this piece, Jackson Harvey reached out to local conservationist, Ed Riley, to learn more about the relationship between the local community and the smooth marron (Cherax cainaii), a species endemic to Collie and the South West. Ed has years of experience working with the Department of Fisheries and was all too happy to share his knowledge of this local marron species with Jackson.
Through conversations with Ed, Jackson learnt about a period in Collie’s early underground coal mining days, when miners successfully bred marron in the depths of the mines, far from their natural habitats. As a consequence of being bred in the dark, these crustaceans developed blindness.
Subterranean Marron seeks to tell the story of these underground marron, taken from their river habitats and bred beneath the earth.
Three Workers
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Fintan Magee
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: 75 Patterson St (Mineworkers Institute)
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: Three Workers promotes unity between working people across industry, representing the backbone of working culture in Collie. The mural depicts a farmer with his dog on the right, and a miner seated on the left. The work, located on the Collie Union Hall, aims to promote unity across industries and working class solidarity.
The work is painted in a bevelled glass effect and is tinted with a red colour, aiming to emulate the stained glass across union halls and stone mason halls across the world. Stained glass is an integral part of both ecclesiastical and secular architecture and is an example of working craftsmanship and human achievement.
The work is painted with a split image effect, meaning the figures are abstracted, broken and disconnected. When you walk to the centre of the mural the figures come together to make a complete image. This encourages interactivity for the viewer and photography of the mural.
Karda
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Jack Bromell
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: 38-40 Johnston St, Collie
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: “I have painted a giant Karda (goanna) over patterns of native flora to the area. The skin of the Karda depicts the people of Collie, past and present, celebrating the moon and the stars. I chose to paint the Karda because it's an iconic and striking reptile native to the area. It may serve as a reminder to the community that nature is to be respected and without it we have no stories and no history.” Jack Bromell
Friday Night at the Theatre Royale
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Marina Lommerse, Michael Phillips
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: 64 Forrest Street
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: “This ode to the much-loved Theatre Royal alludes to leisure pastimes in the past and future of Collie. The mural is located on the site of the former theatre site which opened in 1928 and was demolished in the 1970s.
From Collie residents, we found a well of fond memories about the grandeur of the space and the shenanigans that took place.
‘If those seats could talk,’ one resident commented in passing while we were painting. ‘On Friday nights we would go to the pictures in the Theatre Royal. With the curved staircase and red velvet curtains, it was a grand place.’
The depiction of the audience, dressed in costumes of the era, was prompted by the quote, ‘We always sat downstairs and considered the upstairs gallery somewhere for only the hob-knobs – whoever they might have been in Collie.’
On the screen, a travelogue of a bushwalker enjoying the Collie great outdoors is showing. Dorothy, a character from The Wizard of Oz, a movie of the era, is the bushwalker. The movie marquee references a long-standing Collie shoe store, Well’s Boot Palace, where Dorothy purchased her ruby bushwalking shoes. Dorothy no longer lives in Kansas – she’s moved to Collie Trail Town for the great outdoors life!
Visit the mural, bring your vintage hats and pose as one of the hob-knobs in the upstairs gallery. But don’t throw any jaffa balls or Mr. King, the renowned, long-standing usher will be on your case!” Marina Lommerse and Michael Phillips
The mural was researched, conceived, developed and then painted through a collaborative process facilitated by Michael and Marina.
Local stories and archival research: Yvonne Hammond, Gloria Mathews, Margaret Bates, Tom Reardon, Tania Roberts, Alison Melvin, Nola Green
Mural Studio artist team: Camilo Idarraga, Jack Holmes, Joy Marshall, Robyn Duncan
Collie community collaborator: Thamarat Phoka
Untitled
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Jade Dolman (J.D. Penangke)
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: Wellington Dam lookout, Wellington Dam Rd, Worsley
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: “In this mural, the colour blue depicts the beelier (river) which gives us life. White represents our stories, that run through the land and are passed on from generation to generation. The colour green portrays our lush eucalyptus trees providing food and shelter for the birds, while purple depicts the bright wildflowers that grow among the bushland.” Jade Dolman
Gnaala Karla Booja
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Kamsani Bin Salleh (Kambarni)
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: 42 Johnston St, Collie
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: “’Gnaala Karla Booja’. This is the title of the work, it is also the name of the region that encompasses the towns of Capel, Donnybrook, Balingup, Wickepin, Narrogin, Williams, Mundijong, Kwinana, Brookton, Pingelly, Wagin, Harvey, Collie, Pinjarra, Mandurah and Boddington. It translates roughly to ‘Our Home Land’ in Noongar. Karla refers to ‘home’ but also to ‘fire’ which is why the mural colours of red and yellow were chosen. The fire coloured patterns seem quite random at first but eventually reveal a lot more, much like looking into a campfire on a dark night. Animals, endemic to the region their relationships as well as Noongar cultural practices of the area, constantly reveal and hide themselves within the artwork.” Kambarni