Artists Miranda Plum and Sobrane join forces on Carnarvon murals

A Gascoyne artist has teamed up with one of WA’s mural masters to celebrate Carnarvon’s abundant marine life and rich farming roots through a series of Instagram-worthy public artworks.

Successfully applying for a $15,000 grant from Regional Arts WA, Carnarvon woman Miranda Plum joined forces with celebrated Broome-based artist Sobrane to paint a mural at the Carnarvon Airport.

Plum had never painted a wall mural before and wanted to learn from one of WA’s best.

“I had this urge to paint really big,” Plum said.

“More people can access art it if we paint it big.

“It can change whole towns. People are drawn to it. I’ve seen Geraldton be transformed in the last decade and I’ve found that really inspiring.”

Sobrane, who has painted public artworks around WA, took the lead on the design of the airport mural, which showcases the town’s jetty and marine life.

Painting without a grid to scale her murals, Sobrane said she worked more off instinct than a rigid plan.

“It’s a constant dialogue in my brain of where things sit,” she said.

“It’s a big journey and it takes a lot out of you. When you are doing that for eight to nine hours in the hot sun, you are exhausted.”

Plum finished her first solo mural on Friday, using a cherry picker to add a splash of colour on the side of the Bankwest building on Robinson Street.

She titled the work Abundance, with a mango tree honouring the hard working farmers who grow food for WA.

A whale, fish and wave represents “the gifts of our incredible coastline.”

Plum said she found the work addictive.

“Working up really high was amazing,” she said.

“You are creating huge lines with your whole body, not just some tiny movement with your hand.”

She also has funding to paint a third mural at the Carnarvon Police Station, which is expected to be finished in the next couple of weeks.

Sobrane said it was encouraging to see more women get involved in what is traditionally a male-dominated sector of the arts industry.

“It has been great to see other women getting up there on the walls and following through,” she said.

“I love Miranda’s designs and the colours she uses.”