Artist finds haven in chaotic city life

Waterloo public housing tenant Carl Milton is one of ten finalists in this year’s City of Villages poster art competition. His entry ‘Cook Community Garden – Waterloo’ depicts a person at work in a lush garden against the backdrop of three public housing towers, bathed in light from the morning sun.

“”To me it is a contemplation or reflection on when you are bombarded with distractions, imagery, noise and the stresses of inner city life, I actually think that it is really important to try and have a connection with nature and quiet time alone with one’s self and that helps put things into perspective,” said Milton, 46.

The work is painted from what Milton calls his “little part of Sydney”, a small plot in the Cook Community Garden where he grows beans, parsley, tomatoes and spinach.

“That is one of the things I love about Sydney. I find it quite amazing that if you seek them out there there are tranquil havens existing in the often chaotic pace of city life,” he said.

A novice art student, Mr Milton said that while he was well aware that “life on the estate isn’t exactly a bed of roses” he did not set out to put a utopian spin on the area.

But he said he was pleased the work challenged people’s perceptions of the area: “Basically, everything’s in the eye of the beholder, isn’t it.”

Run by the City of Sydney, the competition encourages artists to portray an aspect of ‘village life’ in the City of Sydney.
The ten artworks will be featured as giant posters around the City for four weeks in July and August.

They will also be exhibited at Pine Street Creative Arts Centre, a unique arts centre in the heart of Sydney, from 14 July – 3 August 2009.

The work judged most outstanding will be announced at the exhibition launch at Pine Street and receive prize money of $3,000.

Source: www.altmedia.net.au/artist-finds-oasis-in-troubled-city-suburb/8271