Mural project to celebrate place and plants

AN upcoming community workshop will help shape the design for a bold new mural poised to transform a blank courtyard wall at Ballan Neighbourhood House (BNH).

BNH manager Sarah Bingle said the theme for the planned mural will be around the beauty and diversity of plants that are native to the region.

She said the two-hour workshop will be led by mural and illustration artist, Melbourne-based Manda Lane, who specialises in botanical art and who will ultimately paint the mural itself later this year.

Set for 18 October, the free workshop will be well suited to Ballan and district creatives, Indigenous artists, and anyone who is into gardens and the natural environment, Ms Bingle said.

The main aim will be to help put forward creative ideas that relate to the theme, which the artist can then take away and work into the final design.

“The final designs will be painted on the large brick wall inside the Ballan Neighbourhood House internal courtyard, and also incorporated on corten steel panels as part of a new community garden at the rear of the house,” Ms Bingle said.

“I saw Manda Lane’s work on a brick lane of a gallery and said, ‘Oh my goodness. We just need to have some of that art here’.

“I thought Manda’s botanical art would be perfect for the currently blank internal courtyard wall to make it into a beautiful restful space and to invite community members to come and relax and gather there.

“It is currently just a white wall and we want to make it more vibrant.

“It is roughly nine metres across by 10 metres high and is quite a large wall.

“It’s a great blank canvas.

“The workshop will suit people who are passionate about Indigenous flora in the area and avid gardeners. We just want contributions from everyone who is a bit of a nature lover.

“Manda will capture that information and build a design based on place.”

The workshop will be held from 1pm to 3pm. It will include afternoon tea.

Registrations to participate are now being invited through the Ballan Neighbourhood House website.