Bullaburra’s Patricia Smart recently returned from China, where she and her assistant Olly Ghros from Winmalee joined 79 other international artists selected to paint a mural there.
The 50-year-old said when she first received an email from famous Chinese filmmaker and composer Steven Liu inviting her to Hua Quan Village, she thought it was a scam.
“I was shocked,” she said. “But after I did some research and figured out it was legitimate, I was humbled to be invited.”
Ms Smart was invited as the sole Australian representative to paint a mural for Mr Liu’s Miracle Mural Project – hosted annually since 2015 – where artists from all over the world are invited to create individual murals to promote creativity and inspiration.
“The village is built on the fundamental principles of truth, compassion and beauty and is a breeding ground for artists to collaborate, discuss and create artwork together in a supportive community,” she said.
Hua Quan Village, a purpose-built village devoted to wellbeing and the arts, is in the world heritage province of Jiangxi.
“I feel incredibly honoured to represent my country doing the thing I love the most. It’s a dream come true to travel the world making art.”
“This year’s theme was ‘miracles’,” Ms Smart said.
I feel incredibly honoured to represent my country doing the thing I love the most.
- Patricia Smart
“I created ‘The Wish’. It’s a silhouette of a young girl who is making a wish. She is a symbol of hope, filled with the miracles of nature found all around her.
“The winds of change blow and give form to her imagination and her dreams become a reality as she is transported to another world by a spirit of peace and generosity.”
A member of the Blue Mountains Artists Network and mural artist since 1989, Ms Smart has painted hundreds of murals throughout Australia through her business Becsmart Murals.
Recently, she was a finalist in Tasmania’s International Mural Fest where she was crowned with not one, but three awards, including ‘Highly Commended’, ‘People’s Choice’ and ‘Visitors Choice’ awards. Ms Smart also took part in last month’s BMAN arts trail.
