AN old water tank on Epping Road between Woodstock and Eden Park has received a surprise makeover by visual artist Daniel Burrowes.
Burrowes, who lives nearby, said he regularly drives past the tank and was ‘fed up’ with looking at the crumbling concrete.
“I didn’t even ask the council for that so hopefully I don’t get in trouble,” he said.
“I was risking it but I thought, nup, stuff it, it’s doing my head in. I drive past it all the time and I’m like, it needs some love.”
Burrowes paints mostly indoor murals, portraits and landscapes for a living, but this is one of the first times he had created street art.
He bought a supply of weatherproof outdoor paints and spray cans and spent a full day creating the blue, green, yellow and grey mural of a cockatoo and a tree frog perched on a leaf that wraps around the tank.
“I love doing landscapes and animals and because it’s out in nature I thought, what does everyone love? Everyone loves native birds and little insects and reptiles – and frogs look good,” he said.
Burrowes posted a picture of the final product to the Doreen Community Voice Facebook group and was met with praise and gratitude.
“I put it up on Facebook and it’s still going off now. I had a few people beeping their horns, and a few people pulled over and were saying, ‘thanks for this!’,” he said.
Burrowes changed careers five years ago after football injuries made his job as a plasterer challenging.
“When I was a kid I was always drawing – and in high school – and then in my 20s I didn’t do it at all, I lost interest.” he said.
Now a young father, Burrowes finds painting canvasses and murals for homes and businesses less physically taxing than his former trade work, but he admits clambering around the water tank was tougher than expected.
Burrowes doesn’t have any plans for future outdoor projects, but said he was open to commissions.
“I can’t keep doing things for free, but if someone wants to pay me, no worries,” he said.
