SO SUCCESSFUL was this year’s artistic collaboration that gave South Gippsland Shire Council’s ArtCubes a stunning new look, the same artistic trio has recently tackled a completely different Leongatha project, this time a long and high wall near the pedestrian bridge connecting the town to the railway precinct. The creative team consists of renowned artist Hiroyasu Tsuri, known as TWOONE (pronounced two-one), and up-and-coming local talents Eileen Tanaka and Riam Chilver. Before a design was created, former Leongatha Secondary College pupil Riam visited the school’s Year 9 art students, getting their ideas about South Gippsland and what they would like included. And while they were initially a little shy, ideas soon started to flow. As with the ArtCubes, flora and fauna in the local area played a big part in the design, the students particularly enthusiastic in naming various types of birds to include. While the subject matter between the two projects was related, more planning was required this time, Hiroyasu describing the challenge of painting the wall as an extension of July’s ArtCube project. “This time we took it further,” he said, explaining the long wall required a different approach to the square cubes, leading him to suggest a design that flowed from one end to the other. Therefore, a swooping Magpie, a hopping rabbit and other featured wildlife are moving from Bair Street towards the railway precinct. Among the tools used, spray bottles containing paint and water create a spatter effect, while extension poles with paint rollers are used to define details. Eileen said doing another project together has been exciting. “We can work off our traits and what we can do better,” she said of the advantage of having gotten to know each other. Eileen feels that the wall’s brick surface is easier to paint on than the corrugated surface of the ArtCubes, also drying quicker. However, the wall’s height introduces a new element, having to constantly go up and down a ladder, painting a little and then checking the perspective from a distance. The sun’s glare has also been difficult at times. When Sentinel-Times came to view progress on Thursday, the project had advanced surprisingly well, having only begun on Monday and being repeatedly disrupted by rain. Council’s arts development officer Mary Sullivan visited the artists on site on Thursday, delighted with how the mural has gone and the way in which Hiroyasu involves Riam and Eileen, being excited to see the trio reunited as a team. Their latest project was made possible through the State Government’s Amplify grant program, formerly known as FReeZA.

WHILE Japanese artist Hiroyasu Tsuri, known as TWOONE (pronounced two-one), is in Leongatha working on a new look for South Gippsland Shire’s trio of ArtCubes, mentoring a couple of young artists who are collaborating on the project, he recently ran two events in Korumburra. His free Youth Art Workshop, held at Korumburra Community Hub, was for those aged 12 to 25, with the main concept being to promote thinking through physical action, the creative process triggered by movement. “I just told them, ‘Don’t think too much about what you are going to paint; instead, just start moving bodies or hands to make a mark’,” Hiroyasu said, that approach getting the creative young participants going as ideas sprang to mind in response to the marks they had made. While he brought along red, white and blue paints, participants were given just one colour for each canvas, TWOONE believing that limiting colours enables one to focus easily on movement, shapes and tones, rather than thinking about what colour to use next.  The workshop was followed by an artist talk at the Coterie, with a mixed crowd hearing about Hiroyasu’s shift into the art scene after his move from Japan to Melbourne at the age of 18, originally to learn English, and his subsequent travels around the world creating art. Early in his time in Melbourne, he met street artists through skateboarding and socialising, soon being invited to join them. Having found joy in creativity as a child and seeing something in that field as a dream job, it had appeared unrealistic until he was surrounded by people living that lifestyle. “So, 10 months became 11 years,” Hiroyasu said of his extended stay down under. He then lived in Berlin for eight years with his Aussie wife, maintaining his connection with Australia, where he had permanent residency, by continuing to come back for artistic projects. They now have a house in Italy, a base from which to travel to many countries. Attendees at the Korumburra artist talk also heard about the creative approach Hiroyasu shared with those at the earlier workshop. Sentinel-Times plans to catch up with TWOONE and his young collaborators as the ArtCube mural project progresses. 

THE COLLABORATIVE approach between renowned street artist Hiroyasu Tsuri, known as TWOONE, and young South Gippsland locals Eileen Tanaka and Riam Chilver is bringing the area’s flora and fauna to life on a trio of transformed ArtCubes. Once their new look is complete, the ArtCubes, which are currently located in the carpark near Leongatha’s South Gippsland Shire Council offices, will continue to host various artists, enabling them to engage with the public and share their creations. While TWOONE is mentoring Eileen and Riam, their contributions are blending in seamlessly with his, each inspired by the work of the others. That collaboration succeeds because of a flexible approach that involves reflecting on the existing images and adapting to them rather than starting with a fixed final picture in mind. Hiroyasu’s use of a single colour on the white background of each cube and his choice of tools and techniques help tie the trio’s work together effectively, despite Eileen and Riam having never worked on such a large scale previously. TWOONE’S technique includes using gardening spray bottles to apply a mix of outdoor paint and water, as well as long-handled rollers normally associated with house painting. “I had a feeling that the final product would have a cohesive look because of the techniques and the colour,” he said, with the trio’s agreement to adopt a theme of flora and fauna seen locally, also helping connect the appearance of the cubes. Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangement, is another theme running through the project. Promoting thought through physical actions and reflecting on and responding to the work of others has created a natural flow to the images, the artists relying on visual communication rather than stringent verbal directions. Eileen of Korumburra said it is cool to have Hiroyasu visit the area, remarking that it is exciting he works internationally but comes out to regional places. Council’s Arts Development Officer Mary Sullivan mentioned the opportunity to apply to work alongside TWOONE, something Eileen was keen to do given her enjoyment of art and her Japanese heritage. “Mural work is very different to doing little paintings and drawings and you don’t get many opportunities to start drawing on a giant cube,” she said. Leongatha’s Riam who had never done an artwork bigger than she could fit on a canvas, explained that the size of the ArtCubes is only part of the challenge, with adapting to the unevenly corrugated surfaces of the cubes while learning Hiroyasu’s unique techniques adding to the experience. While that hasn’t been easy, Riam has enjoyed the process. She noted the importance of stepping back to get a proper perspective, a contrast to her previous artistic pursuits. Eileen has loved the process of working together, feeling it has created greater variety in the designs, remarking on there being “three different cubes, three different colours and three of us”, and that it has been easy tying them together without losing touches of individuality. She’s been pleasantly surprised by the different approaches Hiroyasu takes to his art. “I didn’t think you could use garden spray bottles for art,” Eileen said, believing it didn’t make sense and the nozzles would get clogged up. “They do a really good job of adding a basic foundation, adding texture and value to the background,” she said of the effectiveness of the spray bottles. By value she means shading, creating darkness and lightness in the art. Eileen said the reduced control the spray approach gives over your art is consistent with Hiroyasu’s philosophy of allowing things to take shape rather than always being completely in charge. She and Riam said the drips and splashes form part of the work. “You can see it all come together and there’s not really any blank spots,” Eileen said, observing that even areas that appear superficially white, have splashes, sprays, and lines going through them. “There’s something going on everywhere and the more you look, the more it’s happening,” she said, all of that adding to the interest of the overall look. Support through the State Government’s FReeZA Youth Activation Fund provided the opportunity for Riam and Eileen to collaborate with and learn from TWOONE.