Month: February 2022

Sanctuary Baptist a great ally

Sanctuary affirms that every person is made in God’s infinitely beautiful, kaleidoscopic, non-binary image, and is glad to be a friend of SW Victoria Pride. We are a group of Jesus-following earth-loving neuro-, gender- and sexually diverse people who explore faith together in mingled joy, doubt, fear, wonder and love. Find out more at https://sanctuarybaptist.org/.

Sanctuary Baptist has proved itself to be an unflinching ally of the LGBTIQA+ community, and provides a safe and welcoming space to all.
They have provided a space to hold events, have supported us in the formation of our group and have continued to support us in all activities, including assisting us in the grants process for the wings. They are non judgemental, and have openly welcomed us, despite our lack of religious views, into their space. 




Big Thank You



ARTIST

Artist Bio

James Cody-Davis is a practising multi disciplinary artist residing in Port Fairy, Victoria.  

After completing a Diploma (2015) & Advanced Diploma of Visual Arts (2016) at South West Tafe he has gone onto become a versatile artist with works ranging from dark and introspective portraiture, to traditional landscapes, pet portraits and abstraction, with a certain penchant for blending realism with the abstract. 

The Pride Wings sees the completion of his fourth mural after previously working with South West Health Care in their mental health department, painting a positive & calming mural in their adolescent client room, the Moyne Shire on a shelter at the Mortlake skate park and an expansive abstract work at the Middle Hotel in Terang. 

After exhibiting in Melbourne, Port Fairy & Warrnambool  in the previous eighteen months, commissioned paintings/murals as well as a personal practice revolving around portraiture is his focus in 2022. 




Warrnambool Pride and Diversity wings

Warrnambool Pride and Diversity Wings

The Warrnambool Diversity and Pride wings began as a wish. Ideas of how they could be achieved were put on hold by Covid, along with many other parts of our lives. The availability of grant funding through Midsumma Inc.’s Regional Reactivation Fund led us to approach SWTafe to see if they would be interested in hosting the mural. SWTafe were enthusiastic and along with a successful grant application, we were on our way. Not without hiccoughs, and a steep learning curve, the painting began on these amazing wings.

While we had ideas of what we wanted the wings to achieve, we quickly realised that we wanted two sets of wings, to enable them to be accessible to all. This limited the availability of suitable walls, as the chosen wall had to have wheelchair access.

We sincerely thank the artists who submitted tenders for these wings, and we were amazed by the talent that was showcased.

The artist ultimately chosen was James Cody-Davis, and the skill he has displayed in creating these wings has gifted the LGBTIQA+ community of Warrnambool, and the greater Southwest of Victoria with a superb sign of acceptance and inclusion.

Please leave a comment below to tell us what the Warrnambool Pride and Diversity wings mean to you