General News
26 November, 2020
James Cody-Davis begins Tea Tree mural
MORTLAKE artist James Cody-Davis has begun work on an abstract mural which emphasises vibrant colour to adorn the new shelter at Tea Tree Lake.
MORTLAKE artist James Cody-Davis has begun work on an abstract mural which emphasises vibrant colour to adorn the new shelter at Tea Tree Lake.
Mr Cody-Davis said he became involved in the project earlier in the year with six Mortlake students helping to develop a design brief prior to selecting the final plan.
The students, with a mediator from Regional Arts Victoria, helped to develop concept ideas which regarded community landscape.
“Essentially community was the major theme but also bright and colourful, something everyone can enjoy in an area used by many locals from all ages and walks of life,” Mr Cody-Davis said.
“I put a handful of designs in front of them and they were the ones who chose the mural.”
The final design approved was an amalgamation of two of the original designs, with one serving as an abstract representation of the lake and the surrounding areas.
“The kids chose their favourite which was really bright and colourful. It’s a lot of colour which brings a positive energy to the place, which is surrounded by concrete at the skate park,” Mr Cody-Davis said.
“The other design was lots of different colours melding together and flowing around, which was like the community as a whole, lots of different parts but all sort of bouncing off each other and coming together to make something whole and complete.”
Having spent the majority of his life in Mortlake, Mr Cody-Davis said he was “stoked” to have the opportunity to have his artwork become a lasting part of Mortlake.
“A mural like this is something I have wanted to do more regularly now that I have a couple of murals under my belt, but to be able to put something up in Mortlake is really nice,” he said.
“The community has always been supportive of me so it is nice to put something back out there and hopefully people like it.”
Mr Cody-Davis said he was excited to be part of the forthcoming works at Tea Tree Lake which aimed to create a hub of activity.
“The skate park was built when I was a teenager and it was mostly just a handful of kids who would use it. It rarely got used. I have been down there recently, especially during school holidays, and 45 to 50 kids would come through and 30 the next, varying in ages, with people using the exercise equipment and people walking around the lake.
“Some would come over and see what was happening with the mural or read the Dance-O-Mat sign and see what is going down, so already we’re seeing a lot more usage of the area which is really cool,” he said.
The mural has been brush painted with Matisse acrylic, which Mr Cody-Davis said provides better blending than spray paint which is often used for murals this scale, and will be coated with an anti-graffiti sealer.
The mural is expected to be completed over the coming weeks.
