Contact: 042 220 2869
clare@clare-walton-artist.com
Community Art Projects
Clare has over 12 years of experience designing and producing community and public art programs for councils, festivals, community organisations and businesses. A core focus of her community arts programs is to ensure the communities collective vision is at the centre of all work produced. From creating murals to installing ephemeral works and producing community parades each project is created in collaboration with the community. Using a participatory and co-collaborative approach the community voice is integral to the creation of the work. Clare brings with her a team of highly experienced artists as well as where possible employing artists and facilitators from within the community to help facilitate the exchanging and sharing of skills and knowledge creating a transforming experience for all involved.
Past Projects
We Are A Living Entity
Created in 2019 in collaboration with Creative Producer Maxine Bazeley and Wadawurrung artist Billy Jay O'Tool for the 1st inaugural Surf Coast Shire Council's Public Art Grant. The work examines the importance of protecting our natural environment, asking us to think about the impact our love of single use plastics and items is having on our environment.
The work was designed after consultation with the wider community and installed at Djila Tjarri Skate Park. Torquay. To celebrate the installation of the work a community picnic and workshop was held at the park with a theme of Leave No Trace.
The work was funded by Surfcoast Shire Council and Regional Arts Victoria
Our Cubby
Designed and created in collaboration with children and young people from the Atherton Garden's Housing Estate at Fitzroy Adventure Playground in 2015. Two old chook sheds were renovated using found and recycled timbers to create two bright and colourful cubby houses over a 6 week period. The wider community donated timbers and materials that were then used to build floors, add design features including shelves, flooring and flower pots. Old weather board cladding was sourced to create canvases the community painted and were then used to clad the outer walls, creating a colourful patchwork effect. A collaborative project the young artists helped to install floor boards, add new walls, shelves and paint up the canvases ensuring the finished work celebrated all who participated.
Timothy the Turtle
A participatory project that used sustainable art practices to share a community message celebrating the return of the Snake Neck Turtle to Queen's Park, Moonee Valley in 2010. A frame was build using recycled and sustainable materials that was then decorated using found and recycled fabrics at the Moonee Valley Festival. Festival goers of all ages worked with our artists to create a beautiful, brightly coloured Turtle that once completed spent 6 months residing in the park. Named Timothy he was a focal point that alerted locals and visitors to the return of the Snake Neck Turtle to the Park and to help keep the ponds clear of rubbish and waste materials so their home remained clean and safe to live in.
Let's Take Over Labuan Square
In collaboration with the Urban Badland Collective and the North Geelong Community Band Labuan Square was taken over to host a mini art and music festival for the local community. A pop up event artists and musican's who live and or work in the community set up the space, invited the community to participate in workshops, bring along a picnic dinner and enjoy the live music.
Kid's Urban Soap Box
So what is on their minds? How do they feel about their community? Let us find out for you. A roving performance we invite the younger members of your community to share their views of the community they live in. How do they see it? What are their concerns and what actions can be taken to be more reflective and inclusive of the younger generation? No subject is too serious, or too silly, all viewpoints and opinions are respected. Whether they wish to discuss the current climate crisis or just wish to see more flowers in their local parks it matters. Video footage from the performance is then edited and presented to you for further discussion and invites you to take the younger generation more seriously, and configure a way to work directly with them. Tokenism is not the end goal here.