Mural Fest
Mural Fest, a mural painting competition held in Sheffield since 2003, sees nine artists engaged in a public paint off, over six and a half days. Each artist must complete a 4800mm x 2100mm mural, all using the same poem as their mural’s central theme and concept. Each year a poem is selected from the 'Poem Competition' to be used as the artists' inspiration.

This art extravaganza is conducted in Mural Park and at the end of the paint off week, a panel of qualified judges decides the winner of the event’s major prize 'The Mural Fest Judges' Award. During the paint off week, sightseers and supporters who visit Mural Park are encouraged to vote for their favourite artwork. At the end of the week, the votes are tallied and the artist whose painting receives the most votes during that time frame is awarded The Mural Fest Visitors Award.

All murals remain on display in Mural Park until the next Mural Fest. Visitors to the park over the following year may vote for their favourite painting, then approximately twelve months later, the Peoples' Choice Award is announced.
2003 Poem
This Town
by Patricia de Sousa

Their’s an aura here I cannot explain.
It’s not just the peace and quiet,
it’s something not quite tangible
and it keeps reaching for my heart.
The people here are friendly - yes, but
there’s something? - something more
I catch a sense of joy here
that I’ve never met before.
Perhaps it’s the rugged, deep blue back drop
which is everywhere you look;
or the century old buildings that seem to
come right from a book;
or the greetings filled with laughter
all along the street,
or the caring smiles directed at you
by the locals whom you meet.
Maybe it’s the old verandahs
which encourage all this charm?
Maybe it’s the sense of space engendered
by the palm trees in the lawn?
Whatever is the reason
for this undercurrent deep,
it makes me want to stay here
to make This Town mine to keep.
 

mural name: People Giving Each Other Fruit
artist: Eva Nilssen
winner: Judges' Choice Award
location: Mural Park

mural name: Near and Far
artists: Robert Bale and John Bale
winner: People's Choice Award
location: High Street CarPark Sheffield
 

mural name: Inside Out
artist: Paul Wood
location: Main Street, Sheffield

mural name: No Place Like Home
artist: Christianne Goss

mural name: Virtually Yours
artists: Shaun McGowan

mural name: Midnight
artist: Sarina Garvey

mural name: Mother Earth
artist: Kate McCarthy

mural name: Heart of this Place
artist: Renae Walsh
location: Tandara Lodge

mural name: Inside This Town
artist: Joanne Treloar

 

2003 Mural Fest Artist Profile
Eva Nilssen - Hobart, Tasmania
2003 Mural Fest Judges' Choice Award winner.

Eva studied Fine Arts & Music at the Tasmanian School of Art and the Conservatorium of Music.
Her work has been seen in exhibitions in Hobart, Sydney, Norway and New Zealand.
Robert Bale and John Bale
2003 Mural Fest People's Choice Award winner.

John Bale came to Australia from England in the early 1960's. He has won art awards in Tasmania.
Robert Bale, the grandson of John, is also an accomplished artist in his own right.
Paul Wood - Devonport
Paul was born in Victoria in 1954. He is a detail Draftsman who went on to complete a Diploma of Fine Art. Paul, his wife and their two boys moved to Tasmania in 1980 and have lived in the Kentish district since 1981. He has painted many murals throughout Tasmania.
Christianne Goss - Northwest Coast Tasmania
Christianne has worked as an 'Artist in Residence' on the North West and North Coast. She has designed and completed several collaborative and solo murals. Christianne completed her Ass. Dip. of Fine Arts in 1992.
Shaun McGowan - Hobart
Shaun (originally from Melbourne) has exhibited his work in Hobart, Perth and Victoria. He studied Bachelor of Fine Arts, graduating in 2002, with First Class Honours.
Sarina Garvey - Rosebery, Tasmania
Sarina is a graduate of Applied Arts, RMIT Melbourne, her artistic works include, murals and indoor relief, symbol design and illustration
Kate McCarthy
Kate is a freelance artist, illustration, digital art, sculpture, animation and murals are just a few of her talents.

Renae Walsh - Queensland
Tina-Renae has exhibited along Australia’s coastline from Townsville to Tasmania from the age of 14. After studying an arts diploma in Tasmania , she became involved in a variety of community art projects that received statewide acknowledgement and media coverage. Tina-Renae has been recently published by international art publishers, which has given rise to worldwide interest in her creations.
Joanne Treloar - Sheffield, Tasmania
Joanne has been involved in many creative community events.