IT’S POPPING up all over Tamworth streets and Rudy Kistler’s creative designs on the Tamworth Country Music Festival theme are a walking wonder.
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Kistler’s chalk art is captivating festival fans – not just for his artistry but also for the staying power and the three-dimensional magic it is bringing to places where thousands are pounding the pavement.
The American-born painter is plying his craft these days all over Australia – and the Tamworth festival is his latest gig in a gallery of works that ranges from mining and foodie festivals to music and tropical events.
He started with the colourful 3D Tamworth out front of the Festival HQ early in the week, went on to spend two nine-hour days creating his glorious golden guitar designs at the corner of Kable Ave and Fitzroy St, and yesterday finished off another nine hour day devising his big beer barrel outside Prouds in the heart of the Boulevard of Dreams.
The guitar is modelled on his own and selecting the place to put it was no easy task.
“You know people want to pose on your pieces, so I have to work with the environment too and decide the best place to situate them to get the most out of it. You don’t want shadows overlapping things,” Kistler, from the 3D artwork agency Zest Events, said.
He uses artist’s grade chalk, mixes it with a little water, and then applies a dash of a fixing agent, just normal everyday hairspray.
It works – even withstanding the weather, unless it’s too furious.
“It rained last night but when I went back and had a look in the morning, it had faded a little bit but it looks fine,” he said.
It will endure the rest of the festival, he says, and maybe for a few weeks more, until the council cleaners spray it off.
Today Kistler will start work on a perfect kids’ piece, a caterpillar and lady bug, near Fanzone.
“It will appeal to kids, they always love animals. Adults like to see a big hole in the ground or more advanced 3D designs.”
His fitting farewell piece will be a cowboy hat in Fitzroy St.