Bluesfest Gone, Art Lives On
- Mar 19
- 2 min read
Indeed Sad to see Bluesfest coming to a close. For me, it’s never just been a festival — it’s been a journey. One that’s grown alongside me through my art, the music, and connection.
For me it all began back in 2010,
not at a festival, but in a café in Byron Bay. I held an exhibition at Bayleaf Café, painting stencilled portraits of the musicians who inspired me: Buddy Guy, Iggy Pop, Robert Plant, André 3000. I even painted Robert Plant large-scale on the café wall—something that made the front page of the Byron Shire News. That moment, outside of any festival, planted the seed for what was to come.
By 2013,
my work had moved into the heart of Byron Bay Bluesfest. I was commissioned by Byron Bay Breweries to paint live in front of the festival tents for the Byron Bay Blues Festivals 30th Anniversary —portraits of Iggy Pop, Paul Kelly, Mavis Staples. Painting live, surrounded by music and people, was electric. That’s when it clicked: live painting isn’t just about creating art—it’s about sharing a moment and connecting with others.
"Bluesfest is gone, but what it gave me the people,
the moments, the murals
is still very much alive."
Fast forward to 2024,
and I was invited to paint a portrait of one of the headline acts. I chose Ben Harper. Standing in front of a blank wall, spray cans in hand, building his portrait layer by layer, was a defining moment in my life. His music shaped so much of my thinking growing up—messages of love, loss, social justice, and personal introspection. Watching the piece come alive, shaped also by the crowd around me, made me realise: art is more than what you paint—it’s how you share it with others.
In 2025,
I painted Xavier Rudd, letting his song Magic guide the visual story. Again, it wasn’t just about capturing the likeness—it was about capturing the feeling, the energy, and the connection between music, the crowd, and the canvas. Magic is a nature-focused anthem, celebrating the connection between humans and the natural world. The song urges listeners to slow down, set positive intentions, and notice the wonder in everyday life—especially when observing the ocean or the trees.
Bluesfest may have ended,
but the paintings remain. Some hang on walls in homes I may never get the chance to see. Some are in collections, in studios, in spaces where the music still lingers in a different way. And one piece—the mural of Xavier Rudd—is still waiting for its story to continue.
Every portrait I painted is a memory, a moment, a story frozen in time. It’s a reminder that even though festivals end, art carries on. It lives in the people who stop, watch, connect, and share. The connections, the energy, the stories—they endure far beyond the music.
Bluesfest is gone, but the art, the energy, the connection—it lives on.
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