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In an age often ruled by minimalism and homogenous design, artists like Tom Ansell remain to challenge the norm by painting life onto the bare and the basic. This is precisely what he has achieved with his latest blank canvas, being the concrete wall at The Clean Spot Car and Dog Wash that faces Coomidup Boulevard. It’s the perfect breadth for this emerging muralist to paint one of the largest mammals in the South West!

Depicted in the mural is a magnificent humpback whale on its journey along the coast, migrating through the area known as Ngari Capes Marine Park, which stretches from Busselton to Augusta. The elegant features of green seagrass represent the seagrass meadows found within the Marine Park at the depths the humpback whale would navigate.

“My vision for this project is centred on unique coastal experiences”, said Tom in his proposal for the mural. “As a location, Vasse is situated as a gateway to both Capes. My focus for this mural is to dive under, explore the marine world and its significance to both the people who live here and the mammals that make their way through the area during their annual migration.”

Cape Naturaliste College has invited Tom to conduct an incursion with the Year 8 art students to discuss his process when creating murals. The students are currently studying Joel Moore and Ian Mutch, another artist whose work is represented in the Vasse Public Art collection.

Tom Ansell is an emerging artist and muralist. He explores the nature of his subjects and uses techniques such as line, shadow, shape and mark-making to convey his subjects in a raw way.