It is not every day an artist is asked to create a mural from one of the most famous paintings in Australian history — in this case, Shearing the Rams by Tom Roberts.
But Tracy Hancock was up for the challenge — and the result is a striking mural that will introduce a new generation to an old master.
Roberts' famous 1890 depiction of shearers and roustabouts, with their Ned Kelly beards and strong muscular arms, is one of the nation's most easily recognisable artworks and hangs in the National Gallery of Victoria.
For 130 years, Shearing the Rams has captured a moment in time that has been repeated in hundreds of shearing sheds across the country thousands of times.
But many who have admired the painting would have no idea that it was painted at Brocklesby Station, about 16 kilometres west of Corowa in rural New South Wales.
So, to mark the painting's 130-year anniversary, Corowa which sits on the NSW-Victorian border has unveiled the mural to celebrate Roberts and his work.
Ms Hancock's mural was inspired by the original painting and commissioned by the Corowa District Historical Society.
Locals feature in the painting
The historical society's publicity officer, Lesley New, said the woolshed at Brocklesby Station was destroyed about 60 years ago but the original homestead was still standing.
She said Shearing the Rams remained important to the region not only because it was painted locally, but because of what it depicted.
"It shows sheep, shearing, and wool and they all remain vitally important to the Corowa economy today," Ms New said.
She said people who visited the Corowa Federation Museum were often surprised to learn of the town's connection to the painting.
"They know the painting, but they didn’t know Roberts painted it here," she said.
Visitors were also interested to learn that the shearers and rouseabouts in the painting were real people from the region, including the tar girl in the centre of the shed, smiling directly at anyone gazing at the painting.
"In 1890 the tar boy was always a boy and people are always fascinated to know that the tar boy is a girl, her name is Susan Bourne.
"Susie and her sister were initially brought in by Tom Roberts to kick up a bit of dust and create atmosphere and then Susie was given the tar pot to hold and became the tar girl.
"If the shearers nipped the sheep, tar was put on the sheep to help heal or stem the bleeding," she said.
The mural was funded by a bequest from the late parliamentarian Tim Fischer, who represented the region at both state and federal government levels.
"The museum received a generous bequest from him [Tim Fischer] and it was suggested we do something rural, to help rural towns," she said.
She said she thought Mr Fischer would have been "quite proud of" the new mural.
Recreating the rams
Ms Hancock, from Barnawartha about half an hour's drive from Corowa on the Victorian side of the border, started painting a smaller version of Shearing the Rams 12 years ago.
She contacted the museum after seeing a newspaper article last year about the painting's upcoming 130-year anniversary.
"My husband saw it and said, 'Look, there’s that painting you were doing'," she said.
Ms Hancock offered Ms New the finished, smaller version of the Roberts painting as an exhibit for the 130-year celebration.
"Then we discussed how they wanted a mural and it led to me doing the mural," Ms Hancock said.
The mural, painted on three white aluminium composite panels, measures 3.6 metres by 2.4 metres — which makes it exactly double the size of the original painting.
"It’s the same as what Tom has done but the faces are probably a little bit different," Ms Hancock said.
"You can look at it and tell it's Shearing the Rams but it is my impression of the Shearing the Rams."
She said the mural took about four months to complete and during the process she hung copies of Roberts' original painting throughout her home.
"I stuck it up everywhere so I could get the feel of how he painted it, I would just sit and stare at the faces," she said.
Ms Hancock hoped people who viewed the mural felt the 'Australian' heritage of the original and enjoyed the feeling of seeing people being together and helping each other.
