The Silo Art Trail is quickly gaining national and international fame as the fifth installment of the mesmerising trail has been completed; this time by world renowned artist Rone. The Lascelles Silo stands proud at over 30 meters tall within the rural Victorian countryside and to say these are large in scale is definitely an understatement.
Rone’s mural depicts the faces of long term Lascelles couple, Geoff and Merrilyn Horman, whose families have lived and farmed in the Lascelles area for an astounding four generations. Born in the district, the couple married in Lascelles in 1967 and together with their two sons (and their own families) have continued the family traditions of wheat farming, hard yakka and strong community involvement.
So how did the humble country couple come to be chosen as subjects of a large-scale mural by one of Australia’s leading artists? “To really understand the essence of the place, I wanted to find people who had lived here all their lives and get a sense of what the town has been through over the years,” explains Rone. “With a population of just 48 people, I’ve been fortunate to have already met most of the town here in Lascelles,” he continues. “After a lot of discussion with the locals, I found my subjects.”
The Hormans admit they were shocked at first to be chosen as the subjects of such a public undertaking, but say they were happy to be involved once they realised the project’s potential to generate income, tourism and optimism for their beloved town. “If it benefits the community then we’re happy,” Merrilyn said.
For those interested in finding out more about the Silo Art Trail curated by Juddy Roller, you can visit the website or Facebook page to see more amazing trails.