North Queensland visual artist Lavinia Letheby is on a mission to bring colour, vibrancy and sense of pride in their community to towns by creating striking paintings across their buildings.
The Townsville-based artist, who has created colourful murals at Fitzroy Crossing, Tully, Mission Beach, Bramston Beach and Chillagoe and Mutchilba in Mareeba on the Atherton Tablelands, said she was thrilled to be invited by towns to transform their buildings and showcase what's special about their region in the artworks.
"It's an honour working in these small country towns as you get to showcase elements in the mural that really depict that certain area," she said.
"Getting to know the local community and exploring the town's surroundings makes these jobs just that little more special."
On January 18, Ms Letheby, 40, who was born in Emerald, was named as a finalist in the 2024 Street Art Awards for her work 'Under the Sea' in Lucinda, in the Shire of Hinchinbrook.
"I'm Incredibly humbled and insanely excited to be announced as a finalist in the Community Art Sector category," she said.
"I decided to enter a mural I had painted a few years ago, 'Under the seas' was a mural I painted in conjunction with Lucinda Progress Association at Borello Park, at the gorgeous little beach side town."
Is a long way since when aged 13 she began her first business, painting large scale Christmas scenes on shop-front windows, before progressing to painting all backdrops and props for high school musicals and stage productions.
Teaching herself to use oil paints, Ms Letheby said she was inspired by artists such as John William Waterhouse and Pro Hart.
In 2013 she began focussing on her art career, "entering exhibitions and competitions, selling numerous pieces and winning a handful of small prizes."
"I was also commissioned to illustrate five children's education books which were turned into printed books and a learning app and games." she said.
Then in 2015 with husband Carlo and with their two young sons, set off on a year-long adventure, where she painted numerous murals and photographed many landscapes for future painting references.
Between 2017 and 2018 the family lived in the remote west Kimberley town of Fitzroy Crossing and while there, she studied Certificate IV in Community Development Youth Focused, which strengthened her love of working with youth and working on projects that worked holistically within a community.
"I used my art and creative skills working alongside Aboriginal elders, world renowned established Indigenous artists, youth and emerging young leaders," Ms Letheby said.
"I was able to share my love of public art with the town and facilitated many murals and other art related projects, one highlight was being asked to facilitate the first ever mural inside a Western Australian police station in collaboration with local youth."
Ms Letheby/s most recent project was in January when she created a mural on the Mutchilba town hall in Mareeba, featuring local produce.
"The mural shows fruit grown locally in the region such as lychees, mangoes, grapes and citrus," she said.
"There's also pictures showing cattle, a farm at sunset, the irrigation system which allows farming to take place and a historical photo of farmers in the local area".
Ms Letheby said the Mareeba Council and Mutchilba Town Hall Association gave her a list of things they would like showcased on the mural.
"From there I came up with the design looking at photos from the local area and I also had to make this work on the front of the building which has multiple windows and doors," she said..
"My design is bright and bold and can be easily seen and images can be depicted from the main highway and this was a big part of my design creation, I really wanted to have a few key elements stand out, so they could be seen from the main highway."
Ms Letheby said she loved it when locals picked up a paintbrush and got involved.
"With this mural I also held a community painting session, to involve local children and their parents and the community as a whole," she said.
"To do this I drew up the image and divided it into colour sections and added a colour code which matched up with a paint pot, essentially this makes the mural a giant colour-by-numbers project.
"We had a great turn out with over 40 individuals participating in the project.
"Having the community as a part of the painting process really gives them a sense pride and it's a fun process as it enables me to meet so many individuals within the community."
Ahead of this session, Ms Letheby said she would have already painted in the parts she deemed, "a bit tricky to have be a part of the paint by numbers."
"After the workshop I then have the job of adding all of the extra layers of paint and all of the details to make the mural complete and professional," she said.
"This was the second mural I have been able to complete for the Mareeba Shire Council, and It had been such an honour to be chosen as the artist to create these community murals.
"I absolutely love being able to promote gorgeous little towns through my artwork."
Got a great mural in your town? Tells us about it! Contact Alison Paterson on 0437 861 082
