Aunty Joyce and Uncle Boots

This mural is a collaboration between lead artist Mike Makatron and local Indigenous artists Mandi Barton and Lee-Anne Clarke.

The mural project aims to honour the legendary lives of local Indigenous elders Aunty Joyce and Uncle Boots, who are well known community members. They have adopted approximately over 70 children over the years. The mural also will be the first time Lee-Anne and Mandi have painted a large mural, and will also be the first collaboration with Mike Maka.

The three aim to weave their styles together in parts, and have other areas of some separation, but working together with an integrated colour scheme.

The mural depicts local legends Aunty Joyce and Uncle Boots wearing traditional Possum Skin Cloaks. Mike paints the portraits in a fairly realistic style. Mandi and Lee-Anne have been chatting with the two subjects Aunty Joyce and Uncle Boots along the way, who have requested both Bunjil the Wedge-tailed Eagle and Waa the Spirit Crow to be included. Mandi and Lee-Anne painted the area around the two subjects, Mike focused on the portraits, and the totem animals will be a collaboration of both styles, with traditional pattern and line work within the animals, and a touch of shadow to finish.