Nocturnal Natives

This traffic signal box is a part of the Craigieburn Road Legacy Art trail.

As part of the Craigieburn Road Upgrade, Major Road Projects Victoria worked with local artists and the community to reimagine and reinvent public spaces through a signal box art trail. 

Local artists were invited to contribute to a vibrant art trail featuring 30 traffic signal cabinets along Craigieburn Road. Each piece of public art tells the story of "What makes Craigieburn unique," serving as the main theme of the art installation. The artwork also celebrates sub-themes such as community, connection, travel, history, culture, diversity, environment, nature, and sustainability.

Kathleen Jessop is an artist who perceives the world through intricate details. Her work, characterised by both surreal and expressionist elements, is deeply inspired by the natural world and the unseen forces that shape it.

Kathleen's playful and distinctive style creates a sense of continuity, inviting viewers to engage with her pieces and reflect on their own interpretations and internal experiences. Her admiration for native Australian flora and fauna is evident across all her mediums, from ink and fine liner to gouache, acrylic, and aerosol.

Through her art, Kathleen invites us to explore the beauty and complexity of nature, encouraging a deeper connection to the world around us.

This piece is titled "Nocturnal Natives".

I grew up alongside two separate creek systems (Aitken Creek and Malcolm Creek), where there were some extraordinary nocturnal animals. If you are out at night in Craigieburn, you should look out for them. This work includes images of the tawny frogmouth, southern brown bandicoot, lesser long-eared bat, southern old lady moth, black field cricket, kangaroo grass and eucalyptus gum nuts. These all help to make up the unique ecosystems in our backyard and must be cherished and protected.