Adelaide-based visual artist Gavin Malone arrived in town last weekend for two weeks of talks and workshops with locals about the development of a tree sculpture to reflect the flavour of Tennant Creek.

“We’ve been working together to capture the essence of a tree and to develop the concept of what a tree means to the community, emotionally as well as physically,” said Gavin, who swapped his office desk for an arts studio 21 years ago.

With the support of Barkly Regional Arts Youth Program Manager Emma Newman, Primary School Teacher Natasha Civitarese secured funding from Arts NT last year to come up with a proposal for a public sculpture.

The innovative pair then invited Gavin, a talented artist involved with the Palmer Project in South Australia, up to Tennant Creek to apply his creative energies to the design.

But not before exhaustive negotiations with different community groups including the Papulu Apparr-Kari Language Centre, students and staff from the primary and high schools, Anyinginyi Stronger Families, Pink Palace, Nyinkka Nyunyu and Julalikari Council’s Aged Care facility.

This week Gavin has been leafing through ideas brought up in discussions such as will the sculpture be functional as well as decorative, whether it will include shade, seating, sound, light or water plus tackling issues of safety and durability.

“The sculpture is to be inclusive of all of Tennant Creek so that everyone can have a sense of ownership,” he said.

“Cultural concerns have a prime consideration and there is a strong emphasis that young people have a role in its development.”

Once the talks are over Gavin will be distilling all the ideas and the characteristics that people would like to see in the public sculpture to come up with a concept proposal and design.

“It’s been wonderful getting to know the people and the place and I hope to distill all the wishes of the community into a sculpture, which reflects the town of Tennant Creek,” he said.

Emma said it had been a hectic week but well worth the rushing around.

“The community response to the sculpture has been awesome and we would like to encourage as many people to take part.”

If you would like to be involved in the development of the public sculpture, please call Emma on 8962 2799.