Signal Box Program 2021

Hsin-Lin ‘Capturing Freedom Pink Cockatoo’ 2021

ArtsinMaroondah is pleased to announce a new series of seven signal boxes dotted throughout the municipality. The theme of this year’s program is ‘Celebrating local cultural vibrancy’.

Encounter a new series of Ringwood arts precinct commissions around Maroondah.

By Hsin Lin

Cheong Park, Croydon South

Hsin-Lin ‘Capturing Freedom Pink Cockatoo’ 2021
Hsin Lin ‘Capturing Freedom - Pink Cockatoo’ 2021

This signal box is located at the busy intersection Eastfield Road and Bayswater Road, on corner of Cheong Park in Croydon South.

Local artist Hsin Lin describes how “I especially enjoy walking around Ringwood Lake and local parks, where I am often accompanied by various local birds such as pink cockatoos, white cockatoos, magpies, rosellas and all kinds of birds.” For the artist, the playful and highly social Major Mitchell Cockatoos represent inner influence, balance, joy and abundance. Exhibiting regularly at galleries throughout Melbourne since 2017, Hsin Lin is affiliated with the Victorian Artists Society and has a background in fashion design.

Image: Hsin Lin, Capturing Freedom - Pink Cockatoo, 2021 Courtesy Urban Smart Projects. Photo credit: Andy Drewitt

By Andrea Marchetti

Dublin Rd, Ringwood East

andrea marchetti untitled
Andrea Marchetti ‘Untitled’ 2021

The Signal Box Program continues throughout Ringwood East, with this bold and striking work by Andrea Marchetti. For viewers keen to visit this work, it is located on the signal box on the corner of Dublin Road and Railway Avenue. A participant in the Nadrasca studio since 2013, Andrea Marchetti’s graphically striking work demonstrates an innate sense for handling colour and form. The artist is drawn to a range of subject matter including Pop Art, Australian flora and fauna and theatre productions. Studio manager Matt Feder describes how Andrea “works quietly and intensely - initially planning out her drawing in pencil then building it up slowly and precisely in colour. She rarely shows a hint of doubt about where the work is heading and what evolves never fails to astound.” Andrea describes how “I love drawing. It makes me feel good and I like working with all the artists at Nadrasca.”

Image: Andrea Marchetti, Untitled 2021, courtesy Urban Smart Projects. Photo credit: Andy Drewitt

By Katherine Masuilanis

Railway Ave, Ringwood East

Katherine Masuilanis ‘Paint me out’ 2021

Based in Maroondah, Katherine Masiulanis is an accomplished artist with a background in landscape architecture. In preparation for this project, she employed charcoal and watercolour: materials that are not usually found on exterior public art surfaces. Drawing on the shared experience of living through COVID, the artist describes how “this work expresses our desire to embrace the outside world, and also how nature and creativity can provide an interior freedom.” Here the signal box reads as a small weatherboard house in the style of many dwellings in Maroondah. Depicting characters occupied with different activities around the house, it is an engaging story for pedestrians.

By Kenny Pittock

Dublin Rd, Ringwood East

Kenny Pittock ‘Trying to leaf things better than we found them’ 2021

Kenny Pittock describes how “when I think of Maroondah I immediately think of all the wonderful trees, and so my signal box will celebrate nature and many colourful leaves will proudly fill and wrap around it.” Kenny is a well-respected contemporary artist who has exhibited extensively throughout museums and galleries in Australia. His work forms part of prominent collections including the National Library of Australia. Growing up in the municipality, the work is an optimistic exploration of personal growth and aims to playfully encourage the viewer to consider their impact on others. This work is located on the corner of Alexander Rd and Dublin Rd in Ringwood East.

Image: Kenny Pittock, Trying to leaf things better than we found them, 2021 Courtesy of Urban Smart Projects. Photo credit: Andy Drewitt

By Ringwood and District Historical Society

Dublin Rd, Ringwood East

ringwood district historical society ‘strength of community’
Ringwood & District Historical Society ‘Strength of Community’ 2021

This work by the Ringwood and District Historical Society is located on the corner of Dublin Rd and Knaith Rd in Ringwood East. The society exists to collect, preserve and promote material relating to the history of Ringwood. Maintaining extensive community archives including newspapers, journals, books, personal histories, maps, plans and photographs, president Russ Haines OAM compiled these photographs “to depict the strength, compassion and joy of the people in the district of Ringwood – past and present.” The work demonstrates how community spirit has the potential to translate into optimism and hope for the future.

Image: Ringwood and District Historical Society, Celebrating local cultural vibrancy 2021, courtesy Urban Smart Projects. Photo credit: Andy Drewitt

By Martin King

The Clocktower, Ringwood

Martin King ‘Sometime in Ringwood’ 2021

Located prominently below The Clocktower, this work is titled Sometime in Ringwood by Martin King -a highly-regarded artist who has exhibited throughout Australia and overseas since the late seventies. Here, the signal box takes the form of a series of scrap books that contain historical documents and photos depicting several iterations of the Ringwood Clocktower and Metropolitan Fire Brigade. Many of the images are sourced from the artist’s family archives: his Grandfather and his Uncle were members of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade in Ringwood. In addition, his grandfather was the ‘Works Superintendent’ at Ringwood City Council and was involved in maintaining the Clocktower, including hand-winding the clock. King has created a visually arresting object that entices viewers to look closely. The choice to use photos from Ringwood’s history prompts viewers to reflect on the many transformations of Melbourne suburbs.

Image: Martin King, Sometime in Ringwood 2021, courtesy Urban Smart Projects. Photo credit: Andy Drewitt

By Gillian Nix

Intersection, Main Street Croydon and Mt Dandenong Rd, Croydon

gillian nix ‘hello snakes’
Gillian Nix ‘Hello Snakes!’ 2021

Prominently located at the intersection of Main St and Mt Dandenong Rd in Croydon, the striking signal box design by Gillian Nix is highly visible to both traffic and pedestrians. With a background in Fine Art from Edinburgh Art College in Scotland, Gillian Nix has been living in Maroondah since 2011 and has exhibited at local venues including ‘The Sitting Wombat Café’ in Croydon. This work originates from a love and respect of Australian wildlife with a particular focus on snakes. The artist describes how “walking around in summer always makes me look out for snakes and other curious creatures. I hope the final work suggests the vibrancy and warmth of Australian summers and wonderful surprise wildlife encounters.”

Artist Statement

"This artwork originated from a project I was working on with primary school students in my day job as a primary Art teacher. I asked my students to use simple patterns to decorate the silhouette of snakes – vertical, horizontal, diagonal lines and cross-hatching, circles and so on. We looked at tribal African patterns to begin with, but students enjoyed creating their own simple designs in their artworks. The project was a play with simple patterns which were transformed into lino cuts as part of their printmaking project. As often happens, the students inspired me, and I created my own version of the snake project.

I have a great love and respect of Australian wildlife and in particular, snakes. Walking around in summer always makes me look out for snakes and other curious creatures."

Originally these leaves and snake motifs were drawn by ink and brush on paper then were hand carved into lino and became relief prints. I have then scanned different lino prints and digitally pieced the motifs together and re-coloured on digital software. I chose these colours to try and suggest the vibrancy and warmth of summer in Australia, taking inspiration from some of my favourite textile designs.

Image: Gillian Nix, Hello Snakes!, 2021, courtesy of Urban Smart Projects. Photo credit: Andy Drewitt