One of last years walls was named the 8th best in the world in the International Top Murals of Our Time competition - a stunning photo-portraiture style work of a Burmese girl, painted by Adnate. See this wall in my next post which will look at last year's festival walls, photos one year on.
The streets have been alive with excitement since last week-end as crowds travel from afar to see the street art. Being able to watch the artists at work, and to talk to them, was a huge draw-card.
Benalla has created another great tourist attraction and yet another reason why travellers should come off the freeway and check out Benalla.
The wall that is causing the most excitement is this huge work by Smug. It is nearly impossible to believe that this can be done with aerosol spray cans.
Lucy Lucy is a French artist now living in Melbourne. She works with shapes, patterns, curves and form, usually with women.
Dvate is a Melbourne artist who has travelled the world extensively painting commissioned work and murals. This is his cattle dog.
Following his Ned Kelly theme from last year, Sirum's wall depicts Ned with his helmet and also the green sash he was given when he was eleven years old, for saving a boy from drowning. The sash is part of the Kelly collection in the Benalla Costume and Kelly Museum.
23rd Key is a stencil artist who won the world stencil art prize in 2014. Her melting ice-cream shows her attention to detail in stencil cutting.
Maid is a multi skilled street artist who works in bold colours and displays many graffiti characteristics.
Goodie is a multi-disciplinary artist who has turned this narrow lane way into a focal point.
French born Choq is one of my favourites. I love this bright real street art feel wall.
This, apparently, is Loretta Lizzio's first wall art project. It was quite challenging for her as it all had to be done from a scissor lift.
This wall by Buttons is eye catching, colourful and fun - I really like it.
Kaff-eine has painted around Australia, Europe and the U.S. Depicted on this wall are some of her darker sensual human animal creatures, one of her style preferences.
Adnate started as a graffiti artist and has become one of the world's foremost large portrait artists. As mentioned above, his 2015 wall in Benalla was named 8th best in the world and prior to that he became the first street artist to be commissioned by an art gallery. Having painted a Wall in the Benalla gallery, the success of which led to that commission. A copy now hangs on the outside of the Benalla Art Gallery as well. See my next post on the 2015 Wall to Wall Festival. His attention to detail makes Adnate is another of my favourites.
Phibs and George Rose collaborated on this work which joins his collection of signature animals with her desire to make everything prettier.
Guido Van Helten has recently made headlines with his painting of the Brim wheat silos. Last year in Benalla his portrait of Ned Kelly's nephew was one of the three huge portraits that caught the imagination of the crowd.
In Wall to Wall 2016 he has painted three portraits on an old water tank in the Winton Wetlands, just out of Benalla. These portraits are of three local fire fighters, this work being a tribute to all firefighters in the area.
A competition allowed two locals to do their first wall art projects.
Gemma Keating won the Benalla Youth Mural Art Prize and painted this work, an expression of her two loves; art and music.
Tim Bowtell won the Benalla Mural Art Prize and his depiction of Gandhi has been greatly admired.
Finally there was a 'paint by numbers' wall where local young people could contribute. This clever community wall was pulled together by Kit Bennett.
The crowds are loving the art and Benalla is loving the crowds. Well done Juddy Roller and the Benalla Street Art Committee.
