Bargara is being filled with colourful mosaic artwork thanks to one local artist on a mission to spread creativity in the region.
Paul Perry yesterday had his mosaic creations installed on the toilet block at Archie’s Beach, sprucing up the popular area and bringing life to an otherwise plain amenity.
Mr Perry said the artwork was part of a much bigger project he was working on to help beautify the region, which all started with a passion for displaying art in quirky, public places.
“I have been working with Bundaberg Regional Council for a while to promote public art,” he said.
“Three years ago I received approval to showcase a painting on a sewer pump station in Mary Kinross Park, it was a beautiful blue butterfly.
“I wanted to see how everyone would react to it and the feedback was really positive.”
From there, Mr Perry was given approval for 10 more sewer pump stations along the coast to be painted.
“It was the beginning of my idea to create a Bargara art trail,” he said.
“Then I got to thinking about how long these art pieces would last.”
Mosaic artwork a legacy project for Bargara
Mr Perry said he began making plans to creating longer legacy art throughout the region and that’s when he came across mosaics.
“For the past two years I have been learning the skill,” he said.
“I first showcased my mosaics during Crush Festival last year where I created an exhibition held in toilet blocks called Flushed Out.
“It was a mosaic version of graffiti that I had come across throughout the region.”
Bright future
Mr Perry said he was now working towards a project to brighten up Bargara with mosaics permanently, and his latest artwork did just that.
“It features two panels with the mosaic art depicting the beach and ocean,” he said.
“The front panel features a wave and sunrise with a surfing turtle while the back panel features a large turtle.
“It will be a permanent fixture on the Archie’s Beach toilet block.”
Bargara mosaic artwork on show
Mr Perry said he was passionate about public art because of the way it made people feel.
“I used to work in local government and I saw the power of artwork as a community development tool,” he said.
“It brings with it a positive aesthetic and benefits everyone that sees it.”
“It’s about not only enjoying the artwork but capturing the lifestyle of the area.”
Windmill Cafe mural showcased
It wasn’t the only pace of artwork unveiled yesterday.
The Windmill Cafe also showcased a brand new, colourful mural on the back wall of their outside area.
The mural, which depicts an ocean scene featuring marine life and a surfer, was painted by “our local friend, gardener, customer, artist and all round legend @raymonsaltwaterjunkie.”
“We feel this piece of art embodies all the values we love and stand for here at the Mill,” the Cafe’s Facebook post read.
“It showcases the lifestyle we are so blessed to be a part of; beautiful beaches, our nesting turtles, the whales that flip about our coast and the dolphins that splash about our shores.
“We hope to see it became a Bargara community feature. Next time your in take a photo by our mural and be sure to tag us!”
- Art stories: Read more here.
