2008 Poem
The Gathering
by Marc Wasley

In a world where justice
bewails its plight
Where the love of all neighbours
has taken flight
At a time when inequality
is still a blight
An international gathering
becomes a light
From around the world,
a conference of art
Artists and artistic
all playing a part
Lighting candles of unity
within the heart
We are all related
lets inspire new start.
GLOBAL MURAL CONFERENCE TASMANIA 2008

mural name: The Gathering
artist: Marc Spijkerbosch
winner: Judges' Choice Award
winner: Visitors' Choice Award
concept: The ship narrates passage, adventure colonialism and new beginnings. here we can step beyond modern conflict into pre-history, where cultures gather in the glowing warmth of common ancestry.
location: Mural Park

mural name: Hope
artist: Patricia Smart
winner: Peoples’ Choice Award
concept: The blackened burning heart within its watery surrounds represents the futility of injustice and the liberal interpretation of the candles within the heart.

 

mural name: Celestial Unity
artist: Andrew Kruger
concept: Adrift in the ship of the world, the green country has become myth. The stars above us, like candlelight, gather their many-coloured forms to banish the shadows of fear.

mural name: Gathering Spiral
artist: Alan Leon
concept: This image is about coming together to celebrate life. Artists, musicians, dancers, performers of all stripes gather to create the spiral dance in a fertile valley.
 

mural name: Moonlit Flight
artist: Pat Kirkcaldy and Diana Dodson
concept: The artists flight of ideas is depicted by the wise owl. The snake and the colours on the palette represent all people being created equal and making their own way - a landscape waiting to be painted.

mural name: Times River
artists: Tom Ewing
concept: Light radiates outwards, showing us the past, people and species that have been lost, and the present, the conservation programme underway to protect the local river and wildlife.
 

mural name:
artist: Paul Wood
concept: Exposed, vulnerable, afflicted, alienated, displace, misunderstood, unequal. The true artists gather, still hoping for light. Let's give it back!

mural name: Inspiring A New Start
artist: Frances and Colin Wregg
concept: Children of many nations represent the 'New Start' we need in the world. As they gather by moonlight they can inspire us all.
 

mural name:
artists: Kerry Nicholson
2008 Mural Fest Artist Profile
Marc Spijkerbosch - Lake Rotoma, Bay of Plenty, NZ
2008 Mural Fest Judges' Choice Award winner.
2008 Mural Fest Visitors' Choice Award winner.

Marc is an award winning mural artist and an expert in trompe l'oeil, he has been commissioned for many public art works and murals around the world.

Based in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, Marc has been painting as a full-time artist for 15 years and has murals in India, Australia, the USA and of course New Zealand.
Patricia Smart - Bullaburra, NSW
2008 Mural Fest Peoples' Choice Award winner.

Patricia has been a mural artist for 19 years and for whom painting is both a profession as well as a passion. Patricia specialises in painting murals for children's rooms, trompe l'oeil and commercial applications. She holds a Graduate Diploma in Visual Arts, Bachelor of Visual Arts, and Associate Diploma in Fine Arts. Awarded Basil and Muriel Hooper Scholarship, Art Gallery of NSW and William Fletcher Trust Grant
Andrew Kruger - Paradise, Tasmania
Andrew's last mural entry saw him win the Visitors' Choice Award and the Peoples' Choice Award in 2007. This former graphic design and multi-media teacher moved from South Australia to Paradise recently to fulfil a life-long ambition of pursuing the world of art and illustration. Andrew is a self-taught artist and who has painted and drawn for many years on a part-time basis. He has had exhibitions interstate and sold his artworks overseas. Participated in many exhibitions, winning many awards. His work is held in many private collections both in Australia and Overseas.
Alan Leon - Oakland, California, USA
Artist, muralist, landscape architect with many public mural commissions in the USA.
Pat Kirkcaldy and Diana Dodson - Kentish, Tasmania
Pat is a self taught and experienced artist, well known for her portraiture and wildlife pictures. Diana is a fine artist, past participant in Mural Fest and co-painter of the Sheffield Working Art Space’s own historical mural.
Tom Ewing - Prestonpans, Scotland
Artist and muralist with several commissioned public art works in Scotland.
Paul Wood - Devonport, Tasmania
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. In 1991 he painted The Kingdom painting entitled ‘To Such as These’ depicting a white wide-eyed healthy western child together with a gaunt starving coloured child from a third world country. This received world wide recognition and is currently hanging inside the Sheffield Bible Chapel.
Frances and Colin Wregg - Westlake, Queensland
Frances is a professional mural artist with 15 years' experience and many public art commissions from government and community organisations.
Kerry Nicholson - Greenmount, Queensland
Kerry has made a living painting for the last 30 years and painted over 5000 murals. He started out with is brother Malcolm, producing mass production paintings that they would sell door to door. Then ventured into painting Video Stores windows to advertise their movies. Duck Graphics was formed and by the time the bottom had fallen out of the video industry they had established themselves as sign manufacturers. Along the way they have painted many murals and have built up a rapport that allows them to both equally contribute to the relationship. Both artists in their own right but because of many years working together work well as a team.