near or far

As large scale art projects tend to go, once you’re given the green light it's full steam ahead with tight timeframes. Graincorp have been supporting Australian art in regional communities for many years and provided an opportunity for these silos to become the latest celebration of art.

Authority Creative worked with the Upper Hunter Shire Council and members of the Merriwa community including - and perhaps most importantly - the school children to get a sense of how to create an artwork that was distinctive of the place, unique to the site and represented something the community would be proud of. Many stakeholders were involved in the creation and confirmation of the concept all the way through to the breed of sheep, the type of socks and the colour palette.

The artwork is a symbol of local pride, celebration and enterprise. If you’re thinking “Sheep, in regional Australia… what’s so unique about that?” you obviously haven’t been to Merriwa’s Festival of the Fleeces. Since its conception in 1990, this festival has become the town’s most iconic tourist and local event run purely as a not-for-profit initiative.

280 litres of paint was painstakingly applied to show the sheep with the red socks in the canola fields using an extensive palette of blues - Resene Fun Blue, Resene Sail, Resene Point Break, Resene Double Resolution Blue, yellows - Resene Grass Hopper, Resene Buddha Gold, Resene Moon Yellow, Resene Golden Sand, greens - Resene Cardin Green, Resene Zuccini, Resene Limeade, Resene Trendy Green, oranges - Resene Whiskey, Resene Ruby Tuesday, Resene Madras, Resene Twine, reds - Resene Havoc, Resene Flame Red, Resene Pirate, Resene Trouble, and neutrals - Resene Delta Grey, Resene White, Resene Colonial White, Resene Popcorn, Resene Black, Resene Mission Brown and Resene Outpost.

The colour scheme was pulled directly from the natural environment in Merriwa during canola season bringing in the bright yellow hue of the fields and the cobalt blue skies.

The most interesting thing about this painting is just how well executed it was by David Lee Pereira, the artist. Despite the enormity of the artwork it is still just as mind bending in accuracy up close as it is from a distance.

This painting is a permanent public artwork and the high-quality exterior paint will help ensure the longevity of the work.

This project won the Resene Total Colour Landscape Award. The judges said “Art and colour come together to elevate these silos and turn them into a landmark. The blue painted sky reaches out into the sky and clouds beyond. The extensive colour palette is so well chosen for the imagery and the organic shape of the silos. It fits with the landscape, standing out, while still fitting in. A beautiful and breath taking use of colour.”

Created by Authority Creative with
Artist: David Lee Pereira
Client: Graincorp
Other key contributor: Upper Hunter Shire Council
Photographer: Billy Zammit
Winner: Resene Total Colour Landscape Award
Project: Resene Total Colour Awards 2019
From the Resene News – issue 1/20