Public art to put a smile on your face
There are thousands of inspirational artworks dotted around Brisbane. Have you seen them?
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From little smiley faces to big inspirational messages like “Be Proud of Who You Are”, Brisbane is home to thousands of happy artworks.
Messages like Be the Best Version of You, Let your Passion Burn, and Gratitude is the Attitude are just some of the tags making people smile.
Brisbane artist Travis Vinson, aka DRAPL, has been dropping hundreds of inspirational works in alleyways and on business walls for the past decade hoping his art would make a difference.
In fact, there’s so many nowadays he says fans have started treasure hunts to find them.
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One of his latest works “Be Proud of Who you Are” on the wall of the New Farm Cinemas in Brunswick St, was a huge hit during last weekend’s Pride Festival.
“The first time I realised art could change the way people felt I was painting really simple but clean Mr Men style mountains with a duck and a creek, this was around 2001.
“I would paint them along bike paths or little walls where people could just get a glimpse of and I would just write in the corner have a nice day or be happy - simple fun things.”
“I would wait and try and catch people’s reactions and I would like it when I saw a cheeky smile.”
While back in those days Vinson was working illegally, whereas today his works are commissioned across the country, he still laughs that although he has moved to bigger canvases some of those little etchings “still exist today”.
“I get a lot of private messages on Instagram from random people saying thanks so much I needed to be reminded of that or it made my day,” he said.
“This is why I enjoy putting these gifts out into the public space. It means so much to me that I can express myself in a public place.”
The Sourris brothers, Peter and Stephen, who own the New Farm Cinemas are right behind the growing public art scene and Travis’ work.
“It’s great. Everyone loves that one (Be Proud of Who you Are) and everyone comments on it,” Peter Sourris said.
“I one hundred percent think it (street art) is a good thing for Brisbane otherwise it’s just going to be a blank wall.”
“It’s very popular the street art now as opposed to the old days when it was painted over.”
While the Be Proud work will disappear in coming weeks, Mr Sourris said DRAPL would be back on the site again.
“When the wall is free .. we say Travis here’s a wall and we give him free range to paint whatever he wants,” Mr Sourris said.
“It’s great he has the messages too.”
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One of Travis’ most heartfelt works is a picture of a friend painted by Vinson and ‘Treazy” at the Red Hill Skate Arena.
“Holding a spray can spraying flames that turn into a herd of animals … saying let your passion burn – this was very big for a lot of people I knew at the time who wanted to quit their job and follow their dream job,” Mr Vinson said.
“I want others to feel that don’t have to be confined by society’s rules.”
“If you love something set that passion free.”
Let Your Passion Burn is just one of the many large murals around the city created by Vinson under the tag DRAPL (Dr Apple) – a “funny little name” he came up with when he was 13 and loved eating apples.
“Brisbane is really starting to embrace it (street art) and I am really happy that I can do this,” he said.
“I am inspired that the world could maybe change for the better if people think about the world instead of themselves.”
Other messages include Stop Waiting and Start Living and Raise the Vibration.
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