Windy Day in Ballan & The Tussle

Windy Day in Ballan installed at Omnibus Art Gallery, Inglis Street, Ballan as part of the 1000 Weathervanes in Ballan project. Copyright Velislav Georgiev, 2009

There've been a couple of new deveopments in the 1000 Weathervanes in Ballan project. I've applied for a Moorabool Shire Community Arts grant for funding to develop a logo and website. I won't be doing the work myself (haven't got the tech skills) but Patrick Bonello from Gensis FX is a Ballanite and he's been really supportive of the 1000 Weathervane concept. If my grant application is successful, he's going to create the logo and website.


A website will provide some basic infrastructure for the project. At the moment we're thinking about displaying images of existing wethervanes, windbirds and pieces of windart - and we've found 47 so far. We might even run a competition with the prize being a voucher for a weathervane.

But there are lots of other interesting things we can do with a website. We can list local suppliers of windbirds, wethervanes and windart. We could have some DIY instructions. We could publish stories and reproduce images of artwork by local school children on wind-related themes. Perhaps we could have a few lesson plans for any local teachers interested in bringing the project into the classroom? And I haven't got the tech skills to write lesson plans either so if there's anyone out there...

Once we've got a few more pieces of windart plus a couple more weathervanes and windbirds, we can use the website and logo to promote Ballan. Well, that's the thinking behind the grant application.

In the meantime...

We've installed two more pieces of windart in the main street: The Tussle and Windy Day in Ballan.

The Tussle - Ballan Newsagency Roof

The Tussle, donated to the Ballan Newsagency by Velislav Georgiev and Tor Roxburgh as part of the 1000 Weathervanes in Ballan project. Copyright Velislav Georgiev, 2009.

This piece of windart was a real pleasure to make because of the enthusiam of everyone at the Ballan Newsagency. Velislav had a sketch concept that involved a paperboy and a bicycle, but Ian was keen to involve a dog. He suggested a dog with a newspaper in its mouth. Velislav loved the idea but wanted to add some drama so he included another figure. Now, a woman and a dog are involved in a tussle over a newspaper.


Ian and his roof plumber installing The Tussle.

Windy Day in Ballan - Omnibus Art Gallery

Caspar Roxburgh helping with the installation of Windy Day in Ballan.

Years ago Velislav had an idea about making a piece of windart with a person holding an umbrella blown inside out by the wind. We thought it might suit our building in Ballan's main street. We didn't want a trade-related theme because we had trouble pinning down the trade that best represented us. Something to do with writing and publishing for me or something to do with visual art for Velislav?

So we settled on something to do with the wind. I did the original drawing and then Velislav worked on it to give it more movement. I'm really delighted with the result.


Velislav preparing to insall Windy Day in Ballan.

If you hear of anyone installing something wind-related in Ballan please let me know. I've heard a rumour (well informed) that there are people working on both weathervanes and windart right now.

The Juggler

The Juggler, donated by Velislav Georgiev and Tor Roxburgh to 157 Inglis Street, Ballan as part of the 1,000 Weathervanes in Ballan Project. Copyright Velislav Georgiev, 2009.


Velislav and I make public art for a living. The work is interesting, sometimes it's exciting, and it's always challenging. But one of the oddities about making public art is that most public artists don't get to make whatever they feel like making - they make art to meet the brief they've been given by a local council or a corporation. In that sense, public artists are a bit like architects or a bit like those artists from the past who had patronage relationships with the church or with wealthy individual clients.

Making and donating windart weathervanes for the 1000 Weathervanes in Ballan project is a completely different experience. Velislav can make up his own brief and that might involve coming up with an idea to suit a particular building or a concept that suits the nature of a local business or a design that fits the character of an individual family. At that point a conversation begins between Velislav and the potential recipients or custodians of a piece of windart.

The Juggler is the first piece of donated windart to be installed in Ballan. It's designed to suit the family at 157 Inglis Street.

The juggler could be juggling commitments, but if he is there's no sign of strain. One ball is airborne and the juggler's face is still peaceful, even happy. The juggler could be walking across the stage or busking or performing on the street or participating in a festival. There's a sense of complexity and dexterity and balance, but there's also a sense of theatre and excitement and entertainment.


From this view you can see that one ball has already left the circle. It might return to the juggler's hand; it might not.
The Juggler, Copyright Velislav Georgiev, 2009.

I'm curious to see whether anyone in the street will notice this piece of windart. It's clearly visible from the pavement, but its position isn't quite as obvious as the next one's location will be.

If you hear about anyone noticing it or talking about it, leave a comment and let us know. You get some pretty wild comments about public art - positive and negative. And we like collecting them all.