Colbinabbin's art silos are close to completion with artist Tim Bowtell aiming to have them finished by next week.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Bowtell, who has been working on the six silos for 10 weeks, said there will be mixed emotions for him when he is done with the project.
"I'm looking forward getting home (to Benalla) and doing some normal things but it will be weird not being here and going to silos every day," he said.
"The committee and town have been fantastic and so accommodating. The fact I have been able to keep doing the job (during the coronavirus pandemic) has been good and helped me deal with it."
The six silos now depict memorable community events from the town's history.
"The first silo goes to early 1900s for the famous Colbo picnic that happened on the hill," Bowtell said. "They used to have about 2000 people catching trains up and walking to the picnic grounds.
"Next to that is the (artwork of) the train station, which has since been pulled down. The double concrete silo the old steam train and grain train as well, the town wanted to mark the grain in the area.
It's an education piece in a way as well as celebratory (of Colbinabbin).
- Artist Tim Bowtell
"We also have a 1947 CFA Austin firetruck on the water channel and on the bridge crossing the channel are kids in sporting gear going to the recreation reserve.
"(Finally) there is the tractor pull from about the 1980s where the town expected 3000 people but got 22,000 people."
Bowtell said deciding on the artworks was a real collaboration.The silo art project was funded by the state government's Pick My Project campaign last year.
"It's been in the making for long time. I met the committee 12 months ago and it's taken this long to get to the point where we can paint," he said.
"(The theme) is totally lead by the community. The committee put it out to the town to ask what they wanted on there. Then it was narrowed to the most popular and appropriate things. It was definitely a big a collaboration.
"The town has changed over the years but it is still very community driven and this is a nice way to show its history. So it's an education piece in a way as well as celebratory."
Bowtell will add the final touch ups and clear coat to the silo art project next week.