Sixteen local artists will let their creativity fly as they paint 21 Stobie poles in Mount Gambier’s Swallow Drive, Sparrow Avenue and Swan Street.

Project ‘Paint Jam’ will be led by Artscape Creatives owners Pariya Ziakas and Ruth Stephenson who bring experience from their involvement in a number of similar projects.

As recipients of one of the Creatives Art Fund grants from the Mount Gambier City Council, they completed a mural in Ripley Arcade in 2020.

This will be the third edition of the Stobie pole project as they formerly painted Stobie poles in 2020 and 2021, however unlike previous years, this year’s installations are unfunded.

Ruth and Pariya emphasised the artists were giving their time as they believed in their community.

“All the residents agreed to it and if they said no we would not do it,” Pariya said.

“A couple of people have asked for particular things, but most people are very happy for the artists to paint because they know the people that we are.”

Pariya said the original idea was born when visiting her sister in Adelaide who is surrounded by the painted Stobie poles courtesy of the Kilkenny Gorilla Art group.

“I actually made contact with the lady who was working with it, so her name is Tracey Davies and she actually supported me through the initial process in 2020 during COVID,” she said.

“I have always liked the idea of working on the Stobie poles and working outside the studio so I applied through council and SA Power to paint the poles down Pigeon Street.

“Because of COVID, everyone was stuck indoors, and I basically just wanted to bring a bit of positivity and joy to that current situation that we found ourselves in.

“We were all locked inside, we could not go out, so I just went out and started painting poles and I still remember my neighbours coming out and standing at their doors.”

Pariya said the installations in 2020 were a part of the South Australia Living Artists (SALA) festival.

“I invited Jeremy Ievins and Anthony Hamilton to be a part of that so they came and painted on the weekend and people just kind of worked around,” she said.

“It is that whole idea of community involvement and participation, they can not necessarily pick up a brush or an aerosol can, but they can be a part of the process and see how artists work.

“We are continuing with an art trail from Pigeon Street, towards Crouch Street and the Blue Lake to try to make it more united and inclusive.”

Ruth and Pariya believe that it is important to have a range of styles and flavours when it comes to the commissioned street art.

“I think one of the main reasons (we are doing it) is that we are very passionate about art, … inviting local artists in and actually making it more accessible as well for the community because not everyone has that platform available to them,” Pariya said.

“We have invited young local artists who are not necessarily too known in the community and then we have got veterans, well-known local artists and artists who practice not necessarily at that sort of street level yet, but they are practicing artists.

“It’s very much about being able to bring together a broad range of experiences and the beauty of this is because there are 16 different artists, there are 16 different styles and processes.

“What everyone will see is it is not the same style, and it is not the same theme so there will be different ways of working.

“Everyone has different viewpoints, different opinions and different styles and it is really just inviting people to come see all of that.”

Pariya said it was important to note people cannot just go and paint a Stobie pole.

“There is a definite process, so you need to get approval from SA Power, council and residents,” she said.

“Part of what we are donating is that admin time which is a lot and it has taken three months to get this sorted out.

“Do not just send your 12-year-old out there with a can of paint if they see a primed pole.

“The whole idea of it is not going ahead and defacing public property because we would definitely have to paint over that.

“We do ask that people stay on the footpath and children are supervised at all times.

“All the artists will be in high visibility gear, so they just need to be aware of the artists’ spaces and residential properties.”

Artscapes Creatives are still on the lookout for anyone over 18 with an art practice who would like to be involved with the project.

Contact www.artscapescreatives.com or hello@artscapecreatives.com to inquire.

The 16 confirmed artists involved on the project are Pariya Ziakas, Ruth Stephenson, Annette Cassidy, Jamie Pakarinen, Trudi Timmerman, Sodiki, Anthony Hamilton, Jennie Matthews, Leah Williams, Rene Pluckhahn, Mel Holtz, Zac Fergusson, Ann Carpenter, Shirley Hogg, Bek McDonald and Liz Fergusson.

The public is invited to view the artists in action on December 10-11 from 10am on the aforementioned streets, weather permitting.