First strokes for Collie project

Canberra-born artist Guido van Helten has brushed the first drop of paint on the face of the 12,000sq m Wellington Dam wall, marking the start of the Wellington Dam Mural project. The project was announced earlier this year with the State Government committing $1.5 million towards the creation of a mural at Collie’s Wellington Dam. Known for his photo-realistic murals, internationally renowned artist Mr van Helten was chosen to design the artwork which has the potential to become the world’s biggest mural completed by a solo artist. “I started the consultation for this project in September,” Mr van Helten said. “For about three weeks I met with people in town, asked about their lives, went to their houses and looked through their photo albums and collected photos. “I don’t actually draw anything on the wall, I will just take those images and create something with them.” The 34m-high by 367m-wide wall is expected to be colourfully completed with art works by the first week of December. Premier Mark McGowan stopped by the site to check on the progress of the mural project and was pleased to see its progression. “It is very exciting to see what Guido has come up with and he will no doubt produce something that is world-class, perhaps even the greatest mural in the world,” Mr McGowan said. “It will be a great attractor of tourists and interests to the South West and to Collie. “There will be a whole trail from here into Collie of murals and it forms part of the transformation of Collie that is ongoing. “I think once this is done, people will flock down here to see this because it’s so new and exciting and interesting and they will come into Collie and it will be great for the local economy.”