Portland loves the annual weekend the WallNuts come to town.
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The scaffolding goes up, workshop locations spring up all over town and, at the end of the weekend, beautiful new traditional sign artworks are in place.
It was a very special WallNuts weekend as enthusiasts gathered from October 26-28 in Portland. It was the first one to be held since the death of founder and Portland local Ron Bidwell OAM.
Mr Bidwell’s fellow signwriters were keen to see the weekend continue as part of his legacy.
“When Ron passed, the fear was it wouldn’t happen,” BJ Graham said.
“But we’ve stepped up and we won’t let it stop – ‘til the last man’s standing.
“Keeping the trade alive is the most important factor – it’s what Ron wanted to do.”
Mr Bidwell’s work within the Portland community was recognised at Lithgow City Council’s meeting on October 29, when councillors voted in support of a motion to name a park in his honour.
Council officially endorsed the proposal to rename Rotary Park Portland to the Ron Bidwell Rotary Park.
Cr Maree Statham originally moved the motion to have the park named for Mr Bidwell in May of this year.
Mr Graham and Patrick Smith organised the 2018 weekend, drawing together artists for a variety of projects in town.
Sharon Fensom and Peter Fishlock were hard at work on the mural for the rebuilt Portland rotunda when the Mercury called in at the workshop at the Crystal Theatre on Saturday, October 27.
Ms Fensom said the mural was one of the projects Mr Bidwell had requested to be completed. It is based on a Peter Downing photograph out of Mr Bidwell’s archives and involved incredible detail, both of people and the structure.
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She has been part of the WallNuts crew for five years and looked forward to returning again.
During the weekend, the WallNuts carry out works on commission, with people turning up to order traditional signs. They also carry out mural works around town, refurbishing “ghost” signs which have faded in the township.
For the first time, the WallNuts set up a workshop space at the Foundations.
A total of 38 WallNuts came to town but there were no apprentices this year.
Among the designs to be painted this year was a mural marking a traditional bus stop on Williwa Street.
The organisers thanked all the local sponsors who helped keep the WallNuts operating, including the Coronation Hotel, the Portland RSL, the Portland Art Society and the Portland Newsagents.
“It wouldn’t happen without them,” Mr Smith said.