Swan Hill street art comes straight from the farm

SWAN Hill artist Bethany McKay has completed a 20-metre mural in the Swan Hill CBD, celebrating the proud agricultural heritage of the district.

The artwork is emblazoned across the wall of the Bendigo Bank branch.

The piece, with the brief “scenes of the Mallee farming region in the Bendigo Bank colours” was a partnership between the bank and the Swan Hill Inc Marketing Committee.

McKay’s preferred style of art is portraiture.

She was born in Swan Hill but grew up in Echuca, where she attended an art school run by Jess Le Clerc for 10 years.

In her late teens, McKay started to help Ms Le Clerc teach children’s art classes.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, McKay moved from her home in Melbourne back to Swan Hill, where she teaches art to children and adults at The Dandy Lion Studio.

She recently painted a design on the ping pong table outside Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery.

After finishing school, McKay studied political journalism for three years in Melbourne before being offered a job in Sydney.

“But decided that I wanted to pursue art, so I was lucky enough to get a few mural gigs in different bars and restaurants,” she said.

The commissions included a Richmond restaurant and bar and cafes in the Glen Iris area.

During her time in Melbourne, she also taught in a gallery.

McKay now coaches a group of teenagers in how to do murals, teaching them how to quote murals, budget for paints and meet client briefs.

Could this be the start of a street art trail in the Swan Hill region?