Those attending the Mental Health in the Workplace Luncheon at Centro CBD in Wollongong on October 26 are in for a special treat.
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Wollongong artists Robyn te Velde OAM has released two pieces of art to support the silent auction for the fundraising to support the Light and Hope Mental Health Clubhouse in Wollongong.
Both are special to Mrs te Velde and have a humorous story of fiction to tell.
“Return Fare Please” is the only print Mrs te Velde had done for her own collection.
The original won the Mount Kembla Peoples Choice Prize in 2006 and was acquired at an art prize auction by Colin Bloomfield for BHP Billiton’s Port Kembla office.
The scene of the painting looks west from Port Kembla Steelworks to Mount Kembla with a bull in the back of a coal car.
Mrs te Velde was inspired by the theme of Mount Kembla Art Prize Portal to Port highlighting the diversity of all that is derived from Mount Kembla.
The story relates to a delinquent bull named Rebull who one one sunny afternoon in the green hills of Mount Kembla decided he wanted to go on an adventure to the big smoke of Port Kembla.
He subsquently planned a great escape and the painting depicts the story behind that adventure on a coal train bound for the port.
“The humour of the story of Rebull is very endearing and right now fits into the current topic and great debate of coal and politics,” Mrs te Velde said.
The value of the print is estimated at $2,500.
And it has just been framed with solid timber.
The sequel “Rebull’s Pit to Ship Tours” is an original oil painting valued around $3,600.
“It will be able for sale with 30 per cent of the value also being donated,” Mrs te Velde said.
The story behind the second painting in the series is that in the days that followed Rebull’s great adventure and his narrow escape from the coke ovens, he was warmly welcomed back by the herd at Mount Kembla.
But he soon grew restless again and the other cows and bulls decided they too wanted a piece of the action.
The humour of the story of Rebull is very endearing
- Robyn te Velde
The story goes the enterprising bull struck an agreement with the Mining Heritage Festival Committee, Dendrobium Mine and Illawarra Coal to conduct Pit to Ship Tours every year during the festival celebrations.
And the last car of every coal train was dedicated to Rebull’s Festibull Tours.
“They look amazing together and both tell a wonderful story that will be told on the day,” Mrs te Velde said.
“I will display them both at the luncheon in their matching frames on easels”.
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Greg Ellis
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
