Blank wall at pool painted with binging mural

ABOVE: Artist Rebecca Tapscott with elder Aunty Freda Jarrett at the Woodenbong Swimming Pool mural they painted together. Photo: Contributed

Susanna Freymark

Kyogle artist Rebecca Tapscott loves collaborating in art. She paints her murals using bold colours and always features animals.

The murals can be seen in Kyogle, Lismore, The Risk and many other places.

Her latest mural at Woodenbong Pool was painted in partnership with Aunty Freda Jarrett.

Faced with the blank canvas of the pool wall, Rebeccaa knew she wanted a water theme for the mural.

Aunty Freda told Rebecca about the binging flowers — the orange flowers seen at Woodenbong.

When they bloom it heralds the binging or turtle season. When the flowers burst their colour, it means the short-necked turtles are fat and ready to eat.

A big part of Rebecca’s process in painting a public mural is to involve the community.

Students from Woodenbong Central School helped with the painting.

“They have a franchise in the creation of the mural,” Rebecca said.

Githabul words have been weaved into the mural too.

Rebecca doesn’t have much time to sit back and admire the completed painting.

The undercoat for the mural at Bonalbo Pool has been finished and she’s about to do the outline drawing.

She’s working with Bonalbo artist Marion Conrow and elder Louis Walker.

This time, a different story will be told. Louis has named the story Sharing the Belonging which tells the story about the animals and fish of Peacock Creek.

Kyogle Council has funded both murals at a cost of $6000 each.