Painting of Millicent’s largest wall mural has recently transformed the bland rear wall of Ignition Fitness in Davenport Street.
Spectacular natural landmarks like pine forests and mushrooms were painted in vivid and fluorescent colours in the space of four days.
Vehicular and foot traffic along Davenport Street has increased markedly since the mural was completed on Sunday with many favourable comments on social media.
Professional visiting artists Mike Makaton and Conrad Bizjak were hired by Adam Wiese and Roxanne Wallis who are the owners of the indoors/outdoors gymnasium.
The brick wall was erected in 1964 when the adjacent building was a Coles department store.
The lion’s share of the costs were met by significant grants from Wattle Range Council, Stand Like Stone Foundation and the now-defunct Millicent Community Builders.
Assistance with the mural was also provided by the Imagine Millicent (IMAG) arts group.
Mr Makaton and Mr Bizjak also staged a public workshop during their time in Millicent.
They assisted a small group of adults as well as Millicent High School students to decorate letters which spell out “Millicent” on a stone wall in the Somerset Hotel car park.
Workshop adult participant Toni Greenwood is already an artist in her own right as she makes sculptures from metal.
Ms Greenwood said she was keen to use another medium.
“The artists told us how to use warm and cool colours but otherwise we were given a free hand,” she said.
Their Ignition Fitness mural work joins other Millicent CBD buildings which they have painted in recent years.
The pair collaborated on the “birds’ mural” on the northern wall of the TDH Partners accountancy office while the “beehive mural” in George Street was a solo effort by Mr Makaton.
One gets the feeling that Millicent has not seen the last of this talented duo.
“It is always a pleasure to be in Millicent,” Mr Bizjak said.
Meanwhile, IMAG has also made a substantial cash contribution to a new mural by Millicent artist Peter Dunn for the upgraded palliative care room at Millicent and District Hospital.
Beyond that, IMAG members have their sight set on painting the landmark SA Water concrete tower which has stood near Millicent Hospital for almost 60 years.
