A Newcastle street artist's "labour of love" will be officially unveiled on Sunday.
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Jordan Lucky's large scale, underwater-themed mural painted on a once blank wall opposite Praise Joe's Urban Pantry in Tighes Hill will be showcased during an event on December 8 running 7am-1pm.
"I have felt nothing but love from the local community," Lucky said. "It has been an amazing experience to engage with locals and create something for the community."
Praise Joe owners Hayley Sinkinson and Phillip Gameson commissioned the mural to add some life to the blank canvas of wall on the building opposite the cafe.
"We had a lot of customers who continued to say how amazing a mural on the wall would be, so we thought that it would be a lovely thank you to the community as they have welcomed us and supported us," Sinkinson said.
"A way of showing our appreciation was to commission the art work for the whole community to enjoy."
The pair enlisted Lucky for the project, with Bristol Paints Kotara and Taubmans Australia supporting the project. Praise Joe handed the creative direction over to their customers, who voted for their pick from three themes: oceans, birds and mammals.
"Oceans won by a landslide," Sinkinson said. "Once we knew the theme, Jordan got to design it how he wished. We think it looks amazing, but what we love most is how much everyone else loves it. To see people taking photos of it and with it means the world to us."
On designing the mural based on the theme Lucky said: "Art belongs to the community so I thought the community should have a say in what this wall looks like. I'm a big believer in letting people shape the space they live in."
During the mural unveiling on December 8, the collective will be giving away 50 free prints. The prints will have an underwater theme, the same as the wall mural.
Street art has taken off in Newcastle, from Trevor Dickinson's interactive displays at Merewether Beach and Newcastle Museum, to the many impressive murals around the city created as part of past Hit the Bricks festivals.
Mitch Revs' cartoon-style creations are popular. In the back streets of Merewether, you will find one of Revs' murals at Drift Diner.
Art plays a big role in the design of Newcastle's newest bar, Uptowns. The '90s themed bar pays tribute to icons of the decade in a series of works throughout.
