The making of a community mural (Story Book) - North Yarra ...

The Collingwood Centre has long been identified by the murals. ‘The building with the big colourful
pictures on it, just past Johnston Street’ – that was always the directions I gave to people on how to find the
health centre building along Hoddle Street, which after all stretches from East Melbourne up to Clifton Hill.
I asked people in the community whether the ’old’ murals should be replaced or removed and the
response was unanimous ‘I think they should be replaced’, ‘I still stop to look at them and always find
another little fascinating detail’ and ‘They have been part of the place for such a long time.’
This new project is far removed from my original concept which was along the lines of ‘just paint new
panels, fix them to the old frames, give the whole facade a lick of paint – and that’ll be it’. Well, so
I thought. Never underestimate the creativity of a community and those artists. They wanted something
completely different – new, fresh, theirs.
And, of course, that long, long wall lent itself intuitively to the river theme. If only that old wall did not
have those tricky corners and angles and bits sticking out …. As we agonised over what materials to
use to make the river flow along the wall, how to make it all stick to that wall, and how to achieve it all
somehow not too far outside the agreed budget, I was on occasions heard muttering under my breath, ‘All
I ever wanted was new panels!’ Now of course, when I look at the beautiful, elegant, artistic, totally new
and different mural, I would not have it any other way. The new mural is a stunning work of community art.
For me, one of the major attractions to working in community health is that it provides so many
wonderful opportunities to connect with the community – sharing an activity creates shared experiences
and shared memories; memories which bubble away in our mind like the rainbow bubbles on the river
and can delight us for years to come. Activities with others also allow us to connect beyond the time of
the activity. I agree whole heartedly with Tania that community activity builds community relationships.
On one of my home visiting rounds, I saw Mawolu, one of the students crossing the street, I wound
down the window, called out to her – and got back a big smile. Because we had this shared
experience, the mural, it provided both of us with the opportunity to acknowledge our connection, to
share a greeting and a big grin. How lovely is that!
One of the ideas of the project was to bring together the old - as in 1993 participants - and the new
– as in younger persons as well as recently arrived people to Collingwood. One of the old crew was
Jean Hales, well known Collingwood identity and much involved in the community on many levels and
a very strong supporter of the community health centre for many, many years. Sadly Jean passed away
before the mural was finished, but only days before her admission to hospital she still held a crayon in
her hand.
It never ceases to amaze me how imaginative each and everyone of us is, given a chance to express
it; equally, it never ceases to amaze me how artists so skilfully pull it all together. In Ellen and Mandy
we certainly had two artists who produced an outstanding result of which everyone involved in the
project can be very proud.
Marlies Blatz
Project Coordinator
IN THE FLOW - the making of a community mural