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María Peña is a Colombian/Australian visual artist currently based in Melbourne. She studied Bachelor of Fine Arts with major in painting and ceramics at the Art School Academia Superior de Artes de Bogotá and Doctorate of Fine Arts by research at RMIT University, School of Art in Melbourne. Her career has developed between Australia and Colombia through solo and collective shows, artist in residency programs and mural projects. Up to now she has participated in solo and collective shows in Colombia, Australia, Mexico, China, Italy, India, Argentina, New York and the United Arab Emirates.
Peña’s Art and collaborative projects have represented Australia more than once overseas: Selected by MC Gallery and Res-artiste exhibition “Show your World” to represent Australia in NY, 2018; Selected by BienalSur international Contemporary Biennial of Buenos Aires with Ventana Collective 2017; invited to make part of the Collateral Projects of the Art Biennial kochi muzaris, India, 2015; awarded one of the winners for the 2017 Endeavour Award Vitrina de Arte acknowledged by the Alzate Avendaño Foundation and Ministry of Culture in Bogotá. Colombia; and sponsored by Abu Dhabi Art Hub, to represent Australia for the Australian Art Month in Abu Dhabi, UAE 2013.
Maria Peña’s art has a strong influence from sub-realism and magical realism ideas as well as referents from visual and cultural theory. She draws her inspiration from people, emotions and nature with the intention to evoke hope. She feels inspired by diversity of skin colour, languages and cultures and try to depict these elements into her art.
Katherine Gailer (aka Katira) is a Colombian artist currently based in Melbourne, exploring cultural identity, the natural environment, women's empowerment, magical realism, and contemporary design. Her Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Arts Management degrees from RMIT University were both awarded with honours. Her practice includes large-scale mural painting, oil painting, illustration, and music.
As part of her creative expression, she examines the complex relationships between vulnerability and strength, vulnerability, and empowerment. Her dream-like compositions celebrate resilience and liberation and clamour for an urgent need to restore the invisible fabric that weaves together humans and nature. Her work challenges social structures and reclaims the space for diverse cultural expression and women at the forefront of social change.
Rediscovering a sense of the sacred and revisiting our ancient past embody the driving force for the development of her artworks. Gailer is a multi-award-winning artist. Awards include 2018 People’s Choice Award at Corangamarah Art Prize, 2018 Packer’s Art Prize (Red Rock Regional Gallery, Victoria) and 2017 ROI Art Prize (Melbourne).
Gailer, the female lead singer of Amaru Tribe, combines urban sounds with her voice to represent women on stage. Her composition El Girasol– in collaboration with Oscar Jimenez and Leonardo Rodriguez– was selected as a finalist at the 2018 International Songwriting Competition.
Known by the artist name Heesco®, Khosnaran Khurelbaatar is a Mongolian-Australian muralist and fine artist.
Born in 1979 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Heesco moved to Australia in 1999. He graduated Sydney College of the Arts with a Bachelor of Visual Arts degree in 2005. Heesco relocated to Melbourne in 2010, where he has established himself as one of the leading contemporary mural artists.
In 2020 Heesco was commissioned by the residents of Yarram, VIC, to create a series of murals to garner visitors into the small town, in a project known as “Heesco Town”, which got national and international media attention, and was awarded “Best Street Art Trail”. Currently there are 22 murals by Heesco in Yarram.
The same year Heesco was commissioned by Her Excellency the Governor of Victoria to create a mural expressing gratitude towards the frontline workers during the catastrophic bushfires and the COVID19 pandemic. The Governor subsequently has donated the mural to Yarram where it is on permanent display at the Memorial Garden.
Heesco is currently Australia’s most prolific silo artist to date, with 5 silos and a water tower to his name. His silo artwork in Karoonda, SA, was recognised as the “Best of the Best” and “Best Mega Mural” in the annual Australian Street Art Awards. Heesco’s Weethalle silo art was featured on limited edition stamps by Australia Post in 2018, which featured first silos painted in each state.
Based in Melbourne Australia, Hayden Dewar is a muralist, illustrator and painter whose work shifts between client directed projects and his more imaginative personal work.
The latter is an ongoing series of work that draws inspiration from native Australian flora and fauna, mythical imagery and the human condition to create a surreal, metaphysical world full of adventure, myth and symbolism. Projects include council and privately commissioned murals freelance illustration work (ranging from album covers to storyboards and anything in between), and creating paintings for solo & group exhibitions.
Hayden has also had 3 years experience teaching illustration & design in Tafe and runs mural and art workshops. Hayden is passionate about transforming and enhancing public spaces through mural art and thrives on the positivity and public engagement that results from letting his creativity off the leash to roam around the urban environment.
Get a real good feeling... Vote for Frankston
Frankston has been named a finalist in the 2022 Victorian Top Tourism Town Awards and now it's your turn to vote to choose the winner!
A City which perfectly blends a beachside nature holiday with an exciting city escape, Frankston is accessible, fun and instagrammable.
Here you can experience something new, unique and powerful. Home to some of the nation's most vibrant street art (including Australia' Best Street Art Tour) and an epic live music scene, as well as adventures on water and land and award-winning brews, no day in Frankston is the same.
The locals seem to have a sense of playful bravado, that they’ve discovered something others are yet to cotton on to. Like it’s their own cheeky secret.
Playful and bold, Frankston is a place for fun, colourful spontaneity.
You can’t create more time, but if you’re up for collecting moments, Frankston is for you. The time is now.
By voting for your favourite Victorian tourism town (*cough...Frankston...*cough) you also have the chance to win 'one perfect Melbourne weekend' for two, valued at $1,500.
Sponsored by Time Out and Sofitel Melbourne On Collins, the prize includes two nights' accommodation (in a Classic room with breakfast for two at the No35 Restaurant) at the luxurious Sofitel Melbourne On Collins, two dining vouchers to some of Melbourne's best restaurants and tickets to The LUME.
So what are you waiting for? Get a real good feeling as you discover why everyone is developing a crush on this coastal funky town. VOTE for Frankston!