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Joanna Lefroy Capelle is a Western Australian Mural Artist who has achieved not only a remarkably prolific presentation of mural art, but also an impressive one in size and presence. Joanna standing beside Panel 1 of her mural "Regeneration".
Her Northbridge Tunnel Murals Northbridge stretch for 255metres and are 3 metres at the highest point. They took six months to paint on to either side of the Graham Farmer Freeway.
It is a remarkable story of clarity and determination. Each panel drawn from large scaled drawings, was etched freehand into wet cement within the space of 2.5 hours. That would take stamina because it had to be done before the cement dried! The colour was then filled in, using oxides and a bonding agent. Imagine how sure of your ability you would have to be, how much confidence and clarity you would need to achieve this. No stage fright, no room for mistakes or turning back. The project was huge in its scope and depth yet it has also captured a surprisingly light-hearted sense of spontaneity and lyricism.
Speaking of strength and courage - Joanna graciously supplied me with this background information about her career. Her first monumental mural was executed in her last year of Art School when she was completing a B.A. Degree in Visual Arts. The last year of any practical Arts Degree is exhausting enough - however - Joanna was going thorough a divorce and she says that the University focus "helped me to keep my head above water." The tender was for a 20 x 5 metre mural in the East Perth Redevelopment. W.A.
She was then commissioned to create 255 metres of mural on retaining walls leading to the entrance of the newly built Northbridge Tunnel in Perth. This was completed last year. It is difficult to imagine how much effort, organisation and planning was reuired for a monumental work of this size to be created. I imagine Joanna must be very secure within herself and extremely self-assured and motivated.
Acting as a leitmotif survival permeates the collection of images. Issues of survival, strength endurance and courage weave through a thematic approach represented by 'The Christening' 'She Stoops To Conquer' 'Wedding at the Port.' The theme of survival is represented not only in her own personal actualisation of monumental projects but also in the artistic vision she has represented in her depiction of women's lives. Joanna posing with characteristic confidence and finesse in front of humorous caricatures of women. Joanna's portrayal of womanhood is a tenacious one. Life is shown to go on, with all its joyous aspects of recreation, celebration and ritualistic rites of passage, against a backdrop of hardship, frugality and harsh bush existence.
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