The Byron Youth Activity Centre (YAC) has been the recipient of international young artist Jess Lacroix’s beautifying attentions.
Grounded, an acrylic paint mural now graces the inside of the YAC big space, bringing the outside in for the enjoyment of YAC users.
‘This piece is a celebration and introspective exploration in bringing the native Australian paperbark tree indoors so as to envelop guests of the YAC with the endless nourishment and grounding properties of the exquisite Melaleuca Quinquenervia tree,’ said artist Jess Lacroix.
‘Its tessellation into abstraction plays through layers – through its flowing veins into dripping bark, woven by cascading waves and stoic mountain-ranges. The richness in movement of the painted trees and its unconstrained roots is intended to pour through onto the outside native flora and fauna when the painted doorway is opened to the bushland enveloping the YAC, in the ultimate act of bringing the outside in.’
Byron Youth Services (BYS) Manager, Teeya Blatt said, ‘BYS is always looking to promote young people’s talents, so when Jess approached us to offer her art, we jumped at the opportunity.
‘This spectacular mural not only promotes a young artist’s work, it keeps open our connection to the natural environment even when the doors are closed.’
Jess Lacroix (aka NoBadDays est.never) is a 24 yr old interdisciplinary Canadian artist, skateboard designer, film photographer and painter, having established a practice in Canada, Iceland, America, and Australia. In her work, Jessika celebrates individuals and environments by exploring nuances and ordinarily overlooked particularities in the everyday. Jess’ art is “an ode to the shakers, the makers, the breakers, for the pot-stirrers, and plot-thickeners, for the wanderers, the bloodthirsty adventurers, for the ones who carve, grind, and Ride or Die.’
The mural was created using non-toxic paint, supported by EColour Byron Bay.
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