The Public Spaces Legacy Project has prioritised the provision of Camden’s first significant public art trail, inclusive of the delivery of five sculptural works by artists Mcclellanddrew, Jane Cavanough, Kevin Vo, Peter Day and Vertebrae; laser cut walkway cutouts by Alkiira Indigenous Art; public art murals by Brode Compton and Michele Arentz; as well as illustrative signage by local artists Belle Mitchell, Esther Bolz, Jo Wong, Roger Percy, Tracey Prioste and Tom Melville. The works are representative of the rich heritage and history that the Camden Town Farm holds inclusive of its Indigenous, agricultural, and natural history.  

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Artist Biography:

Jane Cavanough is a public artist who has completed a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture and a Bachelor of Visual Art. In 2003, Jane was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to study the relationship between sculpture, community and landscape. She has completed several works for both the public and private sector, including for Bankstown City Council, City of Parramatta, Mirvac and Holdmark.   

Artwork Statement:

Viticulture: James and William Macarthur were instrumental in establishing vineyards at Camden Park in the 1830’s and were producing more than 45,000 litres for export by 1845. Thousands of cuttings were sent from the Camden Park Estate to the Barossa Valley. In the 1850’s, Camden Park boasted 33 grape varieties for sale. The Camden Estate wine was highly regarded and won international wine awards. 

Cattle: In 1788 two bulls and four cows escaped from Sydney Cove. The expanded herd of 40 cattle were found grazing at what came to be known as “Cowpastures” in 1795. This area was part of land granted to John MacArthur a decade later. The rich alluvial soils and access to water supported a flourishing livestock and dairy industry across the Camden district.  

Orchards: William Macarthur was an exceptional horticulturalist and established a thriving orchard at Camden Park Estate. In its prime in the 1900’s the orchard at Camden Park Estate had 72,000 fruit trees. Of the 56 varieties of apples, a Gravestein apple tree planted in 1837 is still alive and is believed to be the oldest apple tree in Australia. Other fruit species included pears, citrus, apricots, plums, cherries, figs and quinces.  

Kevin Vo, River Friends

Artist Biography:

Kevin Vo is a Vietnamese emerging public artist residing in Liverpool, South Western Sydney. His practice explores cultural diversity in unique ways which complement his contemporary understanding of graphic art. Vo’s works are site specific and he has completed several commissions including for Fairfield City Council, Bankstown City Council and Camden Council.  

Artwork Statement: 

River Friends symbolises our relationship with nature’s transformations. It comprises of three water fauna that inhabit the waterways of the Nepean River – a platypus, a frog, and a fish. The platypus is adaptable and unique, the fish is stoic, and the metamorphosis of the frog refers to the change in the surrounding landscape, all of which are reflective of their strength in Camden’s history of floods. They are sculptural shapes embodying whimsical play, combining nature with functional art.  

River Friends invites us to sit, play and contemplate nature and the distinct ecosystems of Camden Town Farm and the surrounding Nepean River. 

Graham Chalcroft (Vertebrae), SENTINEL - Camden White Gum

Artist Biography: 

Vertebrae specialises in public art and place planning for the private and public sectors. They are built on a philosophy and practice-based approach to connecting people, place and culture through art as a means of interpreting and enriching urban and natural environments. Vertebrae have completed several commissions including for Queensland State Government, Liverpool Council, Greenfields Development Company and Waverley Council.  

Artwork Statement:

SENTINEL – Camden White Gum interprets a lone remnant Eucalyptus benthamii (Camden White Gum) located within Camden Town Farm on the banks of the Nepean River. Kinetic motion and sculptural form reflect the natural rhythms of wind through tree canopies and the flow of the Nepean River, with a playful nod to the farm's windmill.  

Materials employed gradually oxidise and patinate to tell a story of time and growth while referencing site ecology and habitat, seasonal phenomena, topography, catchment hydrology, and climate fluctuations. An overlaying relationship between sustainable land management practices dovetailing with Camden Town Farm activities further contextualises these narratives. 

McClellandDrew, Sit Awhile...

Artist Biography: 

Mark McClelland is the founder of Cultural Capital and works as the company’s creative director. His focuses are on sculptural works and design. Mark’s established art practice as a sculptor and public artist combines his interests in design, landscape and art. He is a three-time finalist and former winner of Sculpture by the Sea.  

Cathy Drew is a multidisciplinary artist working across photography, sculpture, drawing and painting. Her work is inspired by the natural world, history and contemporary culture. Cathy has exhibited in Australia and Germany and was the recipient of the Fishers Ghost Art Award for photography, 2013. She has also been a finalist in the Mosman Art Prize and Chippendale New World Art Prize.  

Artwork Statement: 

Sit awhile… evokes an earlier era of Camden. Objects of domestic familiarity to be encountered anew in the public realm. When we make these historic artefacts and then translate them into art, they resonate. People recognise their familiarity yet discover them anew in a cultural context.  

People will feel an immediate connection with these chairs, even as they discover them in an unexpected context. They’re plain yet sculptural. Reassuringly solid yet fine and transparent. Products of artisanship, invested with spirit. And comfortable. 

Peter Day, The Farm Gate

Artist Biography:  

Peter Day has been a professional artist for over 45 years. He has completed a Diploma of Industrial Design, a Graduate Diploma in Professional Art Studies and a Master in Community and Public Art. His works have been shown in over thirty solo exhibitions and have been represented in many public and private collections in Australia and overseas including for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Commonwealth Bank. 

As an Artistic Director of Peter Day – Environmental Art+Design, Peter utilises his design and artistic expertise to create murals, sculptural works, ceramics, mosaics, playgrounds, and urban design projects. His practice enables him to express and explore his thoughts and feelings on landscape, the environment, culture and society.  

Artwork Statement: 

Farm Gate is a celebration of rural life. It celebrates rural life by commemorating the historical agricultural land with associated social lifestyles that reflect today’s produce market and the Community Garden of Camden Town Farm.  

This concept is inspired directly by the Camden Community Garden and Markets. It responds to the well-known rural phenomena of ‘farm gate trading’. The work is an appropriate recognition for the Camden Community Garden and Produce Markets as important community programs that recognise the historical tradition of the market gardens on Miss Davie’s farm. 

Artist Biography:

Melissa Barton is a contemporary Aboriginal artist living on Dharug Country, in the Macarthur region of Sydney. She is a proud Boorooberongal clan woman of the Dharug nation, with her lineage to Aboriginal culture dating back thousands of years.  

Melissa uses intuitive techniques and composition to create intricate and eye-catching works of art. Telling stories like her ancestors and elders through creativity and art, Melissa is able to depict and convey meaning and story telling into the canvas. Sharing her love of culture and art holds a deep and significant place in Melissa’s heart and fosters her continuous connection to culture. 

All creations are named in traditional Dharugdalang (language). Keeping this vital part of culture alive is crucial and will ensure that the generations of Dharug people to come will continue to have important connections back to our sacred ones. 

Artwork Statement: 

The work is a representation of the connection to Country that local Dharug people had with the Nepean River. The Cobbitty-Batcha clan group of the Dharug nation were the main custodians along this section and care for this part of Country. Not only was this a complete source of survival and home to the local custodians, but it was also a place of meeting, trade and ceremony with clans from the Gundangarra and Dharawal nations.  

Providing food, water and shelter along the banks, the river was a complete ecosystem and home for my ancestors. It allowed for hunting and gathering, providing nourishment in abundance and sustaining life.  

Caring for this part of Country was vital to not only the flora, fauna and Aboriginal people, it was paramount for the river’s survival. Heavy rains and floods on the plains were occurring then, just like now in modern day Camden, so having solid ecological plans and knowledge was of importance. The local clans held information and knowledge from elders and ancestors to allow this to occur.  

Roger Percy, Historic Flood Marker, Birds Rest at High Water Mark

Artist Biography: 

Roger Percy is a visual artist, illustrator and draftsman, he has been an advocate for the arts in Camden region since the late 1980s. Specialising in landscape and streetscape, Roger's artworks, developed using many artforms, are held in private and public collections. He has been exhibited regionally, and is well known for his quaint representation of Camden's historic architecture. 

As a former member and Art Director of the Camden Art Prize, Roger has a vast knowledge of art exhibitions, competitions, and since 1990 the management of the contemporary artworks within Camden Art Collection. Presently, as Art Gallery Curator of the Alan Baker Art Gallery, Roger curates' exhibitions from the historic Alan Baker Collection. 

Artwork Statement: 

Birds Rest at High Water Mark stands as a testament to the historic flood levels of the Nepean River at Camden Town Farm. Rising to a height of 12 meters, this public art piece embodies the resilience and harmony of the local community and its environment. 

Fabricated from a robust galvanised pole, the sculpture is designed to endure the elements, much like the community it represents. Native birds crafted from rusty corten steel rest at various heights and a Galah landing on the top symbolises the relationship between natural and built environments. These resting birds not only enhance the aesthetic appeal but also reflect the rich biodiversity of the region. 

Central to the design is the flood gauge, which ranges from 10 meters to 17 meters, marking historic flood levels taken from the Camden Weir, downstream from The Cowpastures Bridge. View the diagram here.

Illustrative Signage Artists:

Jo Wong 

Artist biography: 

Jo Wong Hoyee is a Hong Kong-born Australian artist based in Sydney who completed a Bachelor of Fine Art at Sydney College of the Arts. She is a cross-cultural, interdisciplinary visual artist specialising in drawing, painting, illustration, printmaking and photography in free-hand, pigment-based and digital formats. Jo is trained in traditional Chinese painting as well as Western arts including classical to contemporary styles and is an active member of the Camden community, regularly participating in local arts activation programs and is a practising art therapist.  

Belle Mitchell 

Artist biography: 

Belle Mitchell is a self-taught local artist and illustrator whose works capture the intricacies of the botanical and wildlife subjects that draw inspiration for her. Her works have been showcased regionally and available at various activations and arts markets throughout NSW including in Berrima, Camden, Bulli and Kiama.   

Tracey Prioste 

Artist biography: 

Tracey Prioste is a local contemporary artist who works exclusively with charcoal powder and brushes, giving her works a soft and delicate finish. Her background in black and white photography informs her drawing practice and skill for creating photorealistic portraiture. Her subject matter is predominantly a personification of animals, and her works reflect on her youth growing up on a rural property in Queensland. Her art invites the audience to dive into one’s inner child and explore how we deal with those ‘big’ emotions – are we taught to suppress or express?  

Tracey has exhibited in various shows including at Campbelltown Arts Centre, Camden Art Prize, Borwal Art Gallery and Thirroul Seaside Art Festival.  

Esther Bolz 

Artist biography: 

Esther Bolz is a natural history illustrator, who uses traditional drawing and painting techniques to create highly detailed and meticulously rendered illustrations. Scientific accuracy is the key to her work, which is not only informative but visually attractive. Esther is an educator at Campbelltown Arts Centre where she runs creative workshops throughout the year and as a new local has become involved in exciting community projects, markets and events with Camden Council.

Tom Melville 

Artist Biography:  

Thomas Melville is a local artist from Camden with a rich background in graphic design, illustration, and animation. His artistic journey is deeply rooted in his love for comics, people watching, and all things illustrative. These diverse inspirations fuel his creativity and shape the unique style of his work. His medium ranges from traditional pen on paper to digitally drawn illustrations, allowing his creativity to flow unrestricted. Whether it's a meticulously detailed sketch or a vibrant digital piece, Tom strives to push the boundaries of artistic expression. Inspired by all forms of art and the vibrant community, he believes in finding art in the everyday, uncovering the magic hidden in the mundane. Each piece created a reflection of this philosophy, transforming ordinary moments into extraordinary visual stories. 

At the heart of his work is the desire to bring joy and a sense of fun to the audience. His illustrations are quirky and light-hearted, designed to make people smile and spark a connection, pushing viewers to imagine their own stories and meanings. Tom’s ambition is to establish himself as a core member of the Camden art scene, dedicated to connecting with, supporting, and nurturing the artistic community through collaboration and shared passion, to contribute to the vibrant cultural tapestry of Camden, inspiring others and being inspired in return.