The Godfrey Hirst name is intrinsically woven into the cultural fabric of Geelong, with a history of designing textiles dating back over 150 years.

Linked to the very identity of the community, they were delighted to commission artist Geoffrey Carran, to create a mural on the wall of their Geelong tile plant.

The Tile Plant in Breakwater, South Geelong, having produced carpet tiles for over 20 years has recently undergone a multi-million dollar upgrade, an investment that resulted in a high-tech one-stop shop for their global suite of GH Commercial carpet tile and plank products.

Research into workplace art points to its value in promoting social interactions, stimulating emotional responses and enriching relationships; all key priorities for a healthy and engaged staff culture. Tapping into Godfrey Hirst’s “Believe in Better” sustainability pillar and corporate responsibility, this mural commission not only acts to beautify an industrial site, but turns accessible art into an everyday experience for GH Commercial staff, local residents and visitors to the area at large.

Two split backdrops, an elevated section of the plant wall and brick fence directly below it, provided the blank canvas for Geoffrey Carran to work his magic. New Zealand-born Geoffrey, well known for his vibrant paintings of birds, possesses an artistic style instantly recognisable for its energy and passion. Incorporating wildlife images from the respective environments he works in, Geoffrey spent the summer researching avian life surrounding the tile plant and Breakwater Wetlands.

Geoffrey painted a stunningly rendered pair of Kookaburras based on staff requests and his visits to the Barwon River area around the tile plant, writ large, at around 5.5m high and 14m across, and painted against a wetland backdrop, serves to both depict the areas natural heritage, inform community identity, and reinforce their long association to it.