The Levant by Tom Ansell in Busselton

I was approached by Inara owners, Dan & Joanna in 2023 about creating a series of murals that extended upon Inara’s meaning of ‘shining light’, coming from the Hittite mythological goddess. With the establishment of Inara as the only levantine cuisine in the area, the thought was that Dan and Jo needed a map to showcase where this “The Levant” encompassed in a geographical sense. Thus, the need for a map that was designed in an authentic, old-world aesthetic, to both transport patrons while they were dining and enjoying food at the restaurant, and empower the interior décor of the restaurant itself became of notable importance. The map, much like the subtleties and layers in the food on offer, was to suggest a certain richness, tangibility, and layered sophistication so the painting mirrored the cuisine whilst also extending upon the overall dining experience. As such, I designed this map to not only be geographically accurate, but accurate on another level proceeding all of my research into this geographical area. As an example, the typeface is a meticulously hand-painted modernised Syrian text that closely resembles Inara’s own branding, whilst offering a distinct edge to delineate it from the rest of the interior and exterior design. The attention to the landmass is also of notable mention – composed of just a few colours from a limited palette, it seems ordinary, but I chose to make slight tonal and temperature shifts for different geographical regions to suggest both changing topography, elevation, and environmental regions. Furthermore, this adds both visual interest and a sense of tangibility – swirling, moving brushstrokes with barely any blending, closely placed side by side add a sense of vitality and energy to the work. You can expect this level of attention to detail and care when you choose to work with me.