And the winner was Nanneella’s Greta Zegelin.
Her work, titled Summer Rain, struck a chord with the panel of three judges comprising local artist Su Talor, Rochester guest Peter Anderson and Lockington Consolidated School visual arts teacher Kate De Kleuver.
It was Greta’s first venture into mural painting and earned her a $1000 cash prize, made possible by Lockington District Business Centre, which sponsored the event.
All six murals will now be installed in the town’s Pump Track precinct — the first in five years since the competition was last held — and a community get together is planned at a later date to coincide with the unveiling.
“It was a fantastic four days,” Lockington District Business Centre president Jennie Keele said.
“The artists were a delight to work with and the murals they have produced are a wonderful gift for the Lockington community.
“The business centre was proud to support this event and thanks everyone who contributed to its success.”
An initiative of the Lockington District Business Centre, and co-ordinated by Lockington Neighbourhood House, the mural competition attracted artists from across northern Victoria — including 13-year-old twins Sophie and Lucas Hurley.
Lockington locals, the twins had a big advantage, whenever they wanted a break from the painting pressure they simply ducked across the street to their home immediately opposite the community hall, which staged the competition.
Sophie and Lucas said they started getting into art when they were around four years old, and while they had always been creative, really wanted to step up and try the mural challenge.
“We have never painted anything this big, so it is something very different for us,” Sophie said.
“We want to be real artists, and we had Kathy Connors as a teacher at Lockington Primary School, and she really helped inspire us.”
It’s not even an issue to have two views of what the finished mural should represent.
After they settled on their design — Lucas turning to earthly ideas while Sophie looked to the night skies and depth and design of space — the twins say they have been happy to deal with any changes.
“If one of us decides on a different a colour from the original design, or the place or pose of the animals in it, we discuss it and agree,” Lucas said.
“We go to Rochester Secondary College now and we are always working on our art, but much smaller canvases than this one.”
Sophie prefers charcoals and sketching while Lucas is more into mixed media, creating an interesting fusion of their passions.
