Award Winning Artist Mural at Tumut Library

Published on 18 April 2018

Award winning author and illustrator Stephen Michael King is in Tumut this week to illustrate and paint a large wrap-around mural in the Children’s section of the Tumut Community Library.

Snowy Valleys Council Coordinator Library Services Kristin Twomey said Council and the Tumut Library were delighted to have hosted Mr King and see his mural take form.

“Michael is an award winning artist with a large body of work and the opportunity to engage him for the Library mural project was too good to pass up,” Ms Twomey said.

Stephen Michael King’s first picture book, The Man Who Loved Boxes, skyrocketed to popularity, winning the Family Award for Children’s Books in 1996. It was also short-listed in the Crichton Award for Children’s Book Illustration and has been published around the world and translated into a number of languages.

Since then he has gone on to win numerous accolades including winning the Western Australian Premier’s Book Award, Children’s Books for The Duck and the Duckling in 2016.

“Funding for the mural came from the State Library and we saw it as a great opportunity to engage Mr King to update the Children’s space,” Ms Twomey said.

“The back area where the Children’s books are will have a layout change to complement the new mural and make a real Children’s area with a focus on literacy,” Ms Twomey explained.

The mural wraps around the back walls and extends to the ceiling and bulk head.

Mr King spent a bit of time exploring Tumut and surrounding areas gathering local inspiration for the mural before beginning to sketch out his design and then paint.

Mr King will also be holding a free drawing workshop for children aged eight years and over at the Tumut Library this Thursday 19 April. 

For more on Stephen Michael King and his work visit his website www.stephenmichaelking.com

For further information on the Library please contact Council’s Coordinator Library Services Kristin Twomey on 6941 2568 or [email protected]