Artwork creating a better environment

Thursday, 21 November 2019

Public spaces owned by DPTI are getting a makeover, with seven art installations coming to life over the past month, courtesy of the Rail Care team and a group of talented artists.

The impressive art installations, include;

Goodwood Comms room

Painted by Shane Cook

The art piece showcases two Kookaburras, one everyone has seen before and the other a very rare black kookaburra, which was spotted in NSW earlier this year.

Shane’s artistic flare pops through and highlights his Aboriginal background as well as his street art style.

The Seaford Meadows lift wall

Painted by Thomas Readett

This mural showcases the beauty of butterflies. Thomas’s challenge was to create a piece of art that ties in with the native butterfly garden that Rail Care is looking to complete in the adjacent garden next year.

Thomas is a highly skilled portrait artist who not only works on canvas, but has excelled in turning his portraits into large murals.

Price Ave fence line

Painted by Scott Rathman

This 90-metre wall was a heavily graffiti targeted area and it is hoped the mural will reduce the graffiti and the risk of trespassers.

This Aboriginal mural tells the story of journey between people and places:

• Train journeys represent moments in time that are individually different yet in some way our experience is the same. They are comings and goings, departures and arrivals, starts and finishes and through their very nature they bring deep feelings that represent those moments in time depending on the individual's direction and purpose for being on the line. In simple terms, trains connect people with people and people with places as all those people, no matter what their story, are travelling from one place to another.

Loc Boxes at Wattlebury Rd level crossing

Painted by Sarah Boese

These boxes are showcasing native insects as well as native fauna. Sarah’s use of colour fits in with the green of the gum trees and the surrounding hills.

Wayfinding signs at Marino Rocks

Rail Care has worked with Marion Council to install council wayfinding signs to highlight the local attractions in the surrounding Marino area. Newly landscaped station gardens at Marino Rocks have enhanced the station for commuters and the local community.

Uni SA art project at the old Hawthorn station

Final-year students from the University of South Australia’s Bachelor of Design (Illustration and Animation) pitched their art concepts for the old Hawthorn station precinct to Rail Care.

This gave the students valuable practical experience in working to a client brief and meeting the requirements of public art pieces.

Two winning designs have been installed on the theme of native fauna, appealing to local children. These designs complement initial plantings at the back of platform at the old Hawthorn Station by a newly formed Rail Care Volunteer group.

Adelaide High annual art project

This is the tenth collaboration between DPTI and Adelaide High School to produce student artworks in and around the train and tram lines.

This year’s theme was Reconciliation, with 12 artworks added to the school’s mural collection growing across Adelaide Yard’s northern fences.

The Rail Care team enjoys partnering with Adelaide High and the students produce some incredible and thoughtful work.