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We are very happy to report that the first half of the town ‘History Mural’ has now been redone. It has been slightly ‘condensed’ in size to fit the space where we hope it will be placed (subject to LRC approval). For those who remember, the old mural was rather faded and bluish (after a long life) so this version looks very colourful and different. Having been done by different artists it is also in a bit different style. However, be assured that when erected an information board will fully explain the original story and the people who contributed to both the original and the replacement.
The other half will be started in October

The judges at the 2020 Australian Street Art Awards have judged Danny Menzel’s mural the “Best External Mural”.

Danny and his son Harry attended the presentation evening at the Sunshine Coast last week.

The judges said that “The mural is contributing significantly to making Australia a more vibrant, creative and interesting country – somewhere visitors will want to explore more keenly”.

They went on to say “We love that tourists can look into the eyes of people who made significant contributions to South Australia…. The fact that 15 local volunteers pulled together to create this sizeable mural under the experienced guidance of an artist it witness to the pride Kapunda residents obviously feel about the place their town placed in forging an economically triumphant South Australia”

Kapunda’s Lucas Street mural has been named one of the best public art experiences in Australia after being shortlisted for the 2020 Australian Street Art Awards’ Best External Mural.

Mural artist Danny Menzel and his band of dedicated volunteers from the Kapunda Mural Town Project will be checking if their diaries are clear for the awards ceremony on March 2 on the Sunshine Coast where the winners will be announced.

Awards director Liz Rivers highlights just how important the awards are in showcasing towns like Kapunda to a national audience. “Australia has a long history of creating sculptures, monuments and other street art that is captivating to visitors. However, until two years ago there was no way of rewarding towns and precincts that created these art-related experiences for visitors. The Australian Street Art Awards has remedied that shortcoming,” she said.

The left half of the mural is a recreation of an 1871 photograph of store owner Robert Brewster and his family alongside a local family enjoying a car ride circa 1910, but it was the right-hand half of the mural that really impressed the judges.

“We love that this section is an artistic reproduction of the Lord Palmerston Hotel and J. Harden Confectionery building in the exact location where those businesses once stood, even though the original building was demolished in 1968,” the judges said.

The Kapunda Mural Town project also received accolades at the Light Regional Council’s Australia Day awards this year, taking out Community Project of the Year.

• taken from Kapunda Business Alliance Newsletter, February 2021

Tony Hersey’s mural depicting people and events from the various theatres of conflict in which Australians, and in particular local service personnel have been involved has now been erected.

The mural is on the southern wall of the Prince Of Wales Hotel bottleshop, behind the War Memorial and across the road (Kapunda St) from the RSL clubrooms.

Go to main entry on this mural here.

The blank north wall of the Clare Castle has now been enlivened by a new mural depicting farming past and present. The mural was created by artist Jim Dunstan from Robertstown.

Councillor Deane Rohrlach commented “I particularly like the combination of colour and monochrome. This provides yet another style and I think, continues the high quality and diversity of the murals in the town. I thank Jim Dunstan for the work he put into this and Bill Adams, who was the liaison between Jim and the Mural committee, and who helped with installing it.”

Go to main entry on this mural here.

The look of Kapunda Community Gallery was transformed today as a striking mural was installed.

Councillor Deane Rohrlach commented “I think it gives a remarkable lift to the building. I love the bold and colourful design, and congratulate all concerned on the completion of another high quality mural.”

Local artist and Gallery Chairperson, Maxine Donald, birthed the concept, while the design was created by Danny Menzel from DM Graphics. Painting was completed by Volunteers under direction of Maxine and Danny. It was installed by Gadget Graphics and funded by the Kapunda Community Gallery Inc.

Go to main entry on this mural here.

The murals recalling the long history of Celtic Festivals held in Kapunda were installed on Hill St today.

Councillor Deane Rohlach reported:

Gadget Graphics, who printed Danny Menzel’s brilliant celebration of the Kapunda Celtic Festivals, installed the murals today. 

The printing comes with a ten year guarantee (no noticeable fading in ten years) and the murals have an anti-graffiti coating.

Danny and Gadget Graphics took great care to get the join in the gate almost undetectable. You can see in the top photo the excellent result they achieved.

Just over $3000 of the funding for the murals came from the Kapunda Celtic Committee, who donated the money when they wound up. Thank you and congratulations to all involved. I think this is an excellent addition to the town’s murals.

Go to main entry on this mural here.

The Rotary Mural on the southern side of the Post Office has been erected.

The Mural was created by local Artist Stuart Hoerisch,

and erected by Rotarians Frank Ware and Brenton Diener (who also made and donated the supporting frame).

It has a unique style having a mosaic and tile border and some elements are raised cut-outs.

Go to main entry on this mural here.

Following consultation and collaboration with Light Regional Council to establish Development Approval guidelines generally, fundraising and testing of numerous materials the actual work got underway. It was decided to deliberately keep initial mural sites within, or very close to Main Street – to create a focus area for the foreseeable future and then all being well, to move outside that precinct.

The largest of the initial murals was the front of the Post Office building. The concept was drawn up by Kapunda Graphic Artist Danny Menzel (DMGraphics), depicting the original Post Office building in the town, postie, bicycle, post box etc from a former era.

The mural was painted off-site on aluminium panels over several months, with many volunteers (artists and non-artists) assisting with the primary painting. Finishing touches done by Danny Menzel.

At the same time three doorways to the (former) stables on the North Kapunda Hotel building were also painted by Kapunda artist Mal Craig, with a theme of the former stables interior. Mal later painted murals on the blocked windows between the doorways in a similar manner.

The smallest site in this series of three was the old Stable door on the Metropolitan Fire Service Building.

Kapunda artist Bill McGowan created the concept, a depiction of the stable door with horse, bucket and fireman in vintage fire uniform. The painting was completed offsite by Bill McGowan and Maxine Donald.