Exploring Australia's Silo Art: Transforming Grain Silos into Community Masterpieces

Introduction to Silo Art in Australia

Travelling through the wheat fields in the countryside of Australia, particularly in South Australia and Victoria, you may well pass some amazing artworks on the fronts of giant silos. These silos can be found in country towns near crop farms. Silos are large, tall towers for grain storage, traditionally next to a railway line as the trains carried the grain to locations where it was processed or shipped off for use elsewhere.

Why paint on silos?

The first silo art I saw was in Coonalpyn, a town on the main highway from Adelaide to Melbourne. These silos are still operational and tower 30 metres above the road. The artwork aims to reflect the community spirit, culture, and local identity depicting some of the children from the primary school at that time. This small community hoped to rejuvenate the township through art. Well, they certainly seem to have done that! Completed in March 2017, three new businesses have opened due to travellers now stopping in the town rather than just driving through. This has created new jobs and meant the town now has a place in many people’s itineraries. It has improved their feeling of community, building relationships, and developing possibilities for festivals and other social events. You can find out more about this particular project here.

Where Can You See Silo Art in Australia?

The first Australian silo art project was created in 2015 in Northam, Western Australia. Since then, dozens of rural towns have joined what is now known as the Australian Silo Art Trail.

Visit the Silo Art Trail website to:

• Explore mural locations across Australia

• Find regional art festivals

• Learn about the stories behind each mural

The most recent one I’ve seen is in Karoonda, South Australia, completed in 2019 (pictured above). Use the interactive map to find silo and water tower murals near you.

How Do Artists Paint Something So Big?

Artists like Guido van Helten begin by:

1. Designing a grid to scale their artwork up accurately.

2. Using a cherry picker or elevated platform to reach each part of the silo.

3. Applying the artwork with hundreds of cans of spray paint (Coonalpyn’s mural used over 200!).

It’s an amazing blend of technical skill, creative vision, and endurance.

Check out Guido van Helten’s website to see more of his incredible mural work around the world.

Kids Can Try Their Own Large-Scale Artwork

Want to recreate the feel of silo art in the classroom or at home? Try this grid-drawing activity to create your own oversized mural.

Materials:

• A large sheet of A2 paper or as large as you can get (link to paper sizes)
• Colouring-in tools such as paints and brushes
• Grid construction tools such as a metre ruler
• A marker that won’t show when the painting is complete (eg pencil)
• A photo or picture (needs to be a copy or one that is OK to draw lines across for the grid)

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Create a grid on your reference image (e.g. 1 cm squares). This needs the same number of horizontal and vertical lines as on the photo or picture being copied. But these lines are a greater distance apart. If the original picture has a grid which is 8 x 9 squares then the grid on the large sheet must be 8 x 9. If the larger sheet is 42cm x 59.4cm then the vertical lines will be 5.25cm apart, with extra, unneeded space vertically. Not every element of the picture being copied needs to be reproduced so the outer squares on the larger sheet may have paint but no specific detail.

2. Create a matching but larger grid on your big paper (e.g. 5 cm squares).

3. Sketch the details of each square from the photo onto the matching square on your large sheet. If you are right-handed, start in the top left corner as you might need to sit on your work to reach the top (or at least lean on it). Start top right if left-handed. Or you can start in any square as long as you count the location of the square on the photo, both horizontally and vertically, then locate the square in the same position on the larger sheet. Observe the elements in each square of the photo, sketching the main lines into the corresponding square on the large sheet.

4. Add colour—realistic or abstract, your choice. When all the main lines have been drawn within each square, you can try colouring it in (realistic or abstract, detailed or scant).

5. Erase grid lines once finished.

Display the final piece on a wall, stand back, and admire it as a complete mural—just like silo art!

How does it look?

How well have the details in each square been transposed to the large worksheet? Time to place the artwork in a prominent place at home or in the classroom. Stand back. These large scale drawings are meant to be observed from afar, to catch the eye of the unsuspecting passerby, to draw their attention. As the artist, this viewing from a distance can help guide any modifications and fine-tuning needed to 'smooth' the joins, to draw the squares together as a whole. Hopefully, the artwork is impressive!

Perhaps there are large scale artworks in your community or perhaps the wider area? What was their purpose? 

Why Large-Scale Art Matters

Silo murals and other community art projects do more than add colour to a town—they:

• Strengthen local pride and identity

• Attract tourism and boost small businesses

• Provide inspiration for kids, artists, and educators

Do you have silo art or large murals in your community? Share the location with us!

Ready to Create With Us?

Inspired by silo art? Your students or children can experience creative confidence too. Explore hundreds of visual art lessons, including grid drawing, murals, and Australian themes.

Erica
Teacher and Artventure Blogger

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