‘LET US KNOW WHAT YOU LOVE’ BALLARAT ART TRAIL
To bring some colour and fun to the CBD this winter, we asked seven local artists to show us what they love about the Ballarat region for a pop-up art trail.
You can check out the artworks at various CBD locations until shown below.
1. Scott Leonard
Location: Corner Sturt and Doveton streets
Over the past 15 years, Scott has been lucky enough to hold creative roles that allow him to focus on his biggest creative passions – illustration, typography and digital design.
Utilising a combination of all three, Scott has put the spotlight on the region’s makers in his design. The collage-style work calls out the artists, photographers, jewellers, ceramicists, chefs, brewers, baristas and musicians helping put Ballarat and its surrounds on the map.
2. Rach Jackson
Location: Myer, Armstrong Street South
A contemporary abstract artist from Learmonth, Rach’s work is heavily influenced by nature and places in and around Ballarat, but you won’t see any realistic interpretation in her work.
Rach’s colourful mural has been inspired by Lake Wendouree and the Ballarat Botanical Gardens and includes some of the area’s most recognised features such as the boat sheds, swans and statues.
3. Spencer Harrison
Location: The Unicorn Hotel, Sturt Street
Spencer is a Ballarat visual artist whose practice explores the dialogue between formal abstraction and the modern world.
In his artwork, you’ll discover the things Spencer loves most about Ballarat’s natural beauty, arts, culture and food scene. These include the Ballarat Botanical Garden’s Fernery and Begonia collection, the city’s heritage lamp posts, pizza from Carboni’s Italian Kitchen, tacos from Pancho, his favourite painting from the Art Gallery of Ballarat and more.
4. Jay Kulbardi
Location: Parent Place, Sturt Street
Working in the contemporary First Nations and LGBTIQA+ space, Jay has a vibrant, colourful style that has evolved to become an intricate blend of traditional Indigenous cultural art and contemporary art.
Jay has incorporated into his work a series of visual icons synonymous with the city, including Sovereign Hill’s raspberry drops, the Black Hill Lookout, the Red Coat soldiers at the Eureka Stockade Memorial Park’s playground, and the Rustic Fountain at Lake Wendouree.
A Bibbulmun Noongar and Latinx artist, as a respectful gesture Jay has included in his artwork the Wadawurrung word globata which means take care.
5. Margie Balazic
Location: Hop Lane, Armstrong Street
Known for her colourful creative artistry, Margie has an ability to create fun storybook-style designs that inspire curiosity and wonder.
Using a clever mix of illustration and graphic design, Margie’s depiction of the region centres around its local wildlife and various native flowers, as well as Ballarat’s iconic heritage buildings.
6. Amanda Western
Location: Hop Lane, Armstrong Street
Amanda is a linocut printmaker who creates large scale, impactful and detailed linocut prints from her studio on the outskirts of Ballarat.
Her work in Hop Lane depicts a place where people and wildlife coexist in harmony, with the jewel in Ballarat’s crown – Lake Wendouree – at its centrepoint. It’s a place Amanda loves, almost as much as her giant swans do!
7. Joel Hammonds
Location: Campana’s, Mair Street
As a multi-disciplinary artist and designer, Joel chose to move to Ballarat for its artistic and creative feel.
Joel’s design details different aspects of the Art Gallery of Ballarat – the place that grabbed him most on his first visit to the city – and shows his son, Wolfy, moving through the different spaces in the gallery.
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Across Victoria’s Midwest, we acknowledge that we travel across the ancient landscapes of many First Peoples communities. These lands have been nurtured and cared for over tens of thousands of years and we respect the work of Traditional Custodians for their ongoing care and protection.
We recognise the past injustices against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in this country. As our knowledge grows, we hope that we can learn from their resilience and creativity that has guided them for over 60,000 years. As we invite people to visit and explore Victoria’s Midwest, we ask that alongside us, you also grow to respect the stories, living culture and connection to Country of the Ancestors and Elders of our First Peoples.
