Sunshine Coast Regional Council has unveiled a landmark creative project for the region, with the Buddina Ocean Chair the result of an extraordinary community effort involving more than 400 collaborators and 20,000 handmade tiles.
The mosaic mural, which spans approximately 18 square metres, was an immense undertaking led by local artist and project coordinator Gretchen Keelty with a core team including Mack Muckan from Undumbi Culture, Monte Lupo Arts, Buddina State School, Nick Grivas from Liquid Lyrics, Roxanne McCarty O’Kane from Ignite & Write, Turtle Care Sunshine Coast and Dave Matthews from Podspot.
The ocean-side chair, which reflects the unique ecology, cultural history and community of Buddina, was recently presented to the local community.
Buddina Ocean Chair includes sound files that can be listened to from the Council website. The files include 16 poems written by Year 6 students, which cover four different themes: First Nations culture and history, Turtle Care 20 years, marine and dune conservation and beach safety and are also stamped into clay tiles. A 20-year anniversary message by Turtle Care Sunshine Coast and a very special First Nations guided meditation by Kabi Kabi leader and Loreman Mack Muckan round out the audio component of the project.
The meditation takes participants on a journey back in time to become part of the Kabi Kabi tribe, the original custodians of the land. There are also language tiles within the mosaic design, featuring 16 different Kabi Kabi words visitors can learn.
“We have made the intangible, tangible,” said Ms Keelty.
“Creating an opportunity for locals and tourists to gain deeper understanding of our First Nations cultural history and our fragile local ecology.”
The stoneware mosaic tiles for the project were hand made by supported artists and professional sculptors from Monte Lupo Arts and 330 students from Buddina State School.
Monte Lupo Arts, one of the country’s finest ceramic studios, ran tile making workshops for Year 4, 5 and 6 Buddina State School student using specially crafted press moulds.
Monte Lupo Arts employ 16 artists with disabilities together with job coaches and professional artists to create an incredible range of beautiful and functional artwork. The studio artists have been making additional tiles including thousands of individually cut hand glazed diamond tiles to complete the mural.
The tiles, which feature animals and plants endemic to the region that play important roles in the local ecosystem, were designed to last using the highest quality stoneware clay and glazes. The design not only serves an aesthetic purpose but it is also intended to educate and inspire connection with the local environment.
“My background in biology means that I’m a bit pedantic about getting these species properly represented,” Ms Keelty said.
“Something this exquisite and so special came together because all the contributors brought such different energy to the project, yet were so unified in creating something more beautiful than I could ever have imagined.
“This is more than a mosaic, it’s a legacy.”
The mural was made possible through the support of Sunshine Coast Council and Division 4 Councillor, Joe Natoli.
“This is by far the best community art project I have ever been involved in, and so proud transforming a constantly graffitied coastal pathway chair and to bring this stunning artwork to our community,” Cr Natoli said.
“While the mural is visually stunning, it also offers a practical benefit: the mosaic surface is a proven anti-graffiti solution, ensuring its beauty is preserved for years to come.
“The expected lifespan of the mural is between 50 and 100 years, potentially more.
“This means students will be able to bring their children and grandchildren, and maybe great grandchildren to come and see what they made when they were a student at Buddina State School,” he said.
Ms Keelty said the project was something incredibly special for the community to be proud of.
“I have seen mosaics around the world, including Barcelona and I believe ours is the most magical, made up of exquisite, handmade pieces, telling our unique story,” she said.
