Lockhart central school by Darren Cooper in West Wyalong
Lockhart central school
The image depicted onto the water tank was painted over top of tank and wraps around, top to bottom. The artwork was applied onto a ruff popcorn ripple concrete surface, the depiction was of a fictional dreamtime scape. The concept was for the Lockhart Wiradjuri tribe, an imaginative view from the Murrumbidgee looking towards the south to the Rock between Wagga Wagga and Albury. The foreground is the Murrumbidgee with leaping cod with vegetation and fauna that recedes into arid grassland, thick wood land in the backdrop beneath the Rock mountains. In the tree line can be seen a tribe campsite from a distant. The artwork has an effect that draws the audience into inspect the story from a far-off standing point. The colours are not realistic as the aims to create a caricature like cartoon genres, a childlike appeal to suit a playground.
I initially began my art career in 1993 as 23-year-old Aboriginal artist painting artefacts with my elders at Yarrawarra Aboriginal corporation, the desire was predominately to connect with my culture and community. Over the years from the first project given to me by my community it seems to grow into higher level each year, I learn on the job by working out how to create an effect and build on layers. So, for me I suppose it was like learning to ride a bike but turning myself in to a trick rider was additional acquired knowledge that came with persistence. To me a mural artist is like someone coming out of an apprenticeship, studying a chosen field to be a specialist of a particular genre of art you aim to represent, but you can branch out into other fields. Mural’s art is mostly a public statement and it is testing your spirit in ways you could almost hear it speaking to you in a challenging way. For me I can’t let it beat me, it’s always a rule to absolutely given it your best, nothing less or lose your passion and settle for average is good enough is not an option. The rewards are you grow past who you were year by year decade by decade with keenness looking for the next challenge. The beauty of art is patients is your friend and walking with that focus, I rarely hear of a flop and wonder what will be my final and greatest artwork I leave to this world. However, I hope and believe I will have a long life and keep improve defining my murals, I recently was approach by a gym to paint from a digital image of the Hulk onto a wall in the style of pop art. It was a totally new area for me to accomplish, but it was a huge success for me and the pop art direction into commercial wall space. So, I guess I am an ambitious artist who enjoys learning new styles of murals and I am always up for suggestion of interest I am knot tide down to one style. I do believe I will always be very strong in caricature whatever genre it is, mainly accomplishment with sea and colourful tropical scene that fits in with cultural setting.
More artwork by Darren
Temora rual museum
Wiradjuri Condobolin Studie centre
Wiradjuri Condobolin study centre 2
West Wyalong land council mural
The hulk seek gym
West Wyalong seek gym
Wiradjuri
Sunset
The Kalari clan
Cod man
PEMULWUY
PEMYLWUY
Pemulwuy
Wambine
Wiradjuri billabong
Canyon Creek
Jiki
Buddy Franklin
Josh Addo Carr
Patty Mills
Patty Mulls
Miningers Dad
Buddy Franklin
JOSH Addo Carr
Up a dry creek with out a paddle
Outback paradise sunsets
Little willy big Canon
The fox on the run
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