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Saturday, January 20, 2018

BRENT’S ROAD MURAL



(Mike McFadyean and the wall of Umcebo Design’s new home)

Umcebo Design has moved from their studio space in Bulwer Road in Glenwood to a new property at 12 Brents Avenue (just down the road). Since, over the years, Mike McFadyean has contributed his graphic design and art skills to Umcebo for their branding and general design requirements such as their web site etc, it seemed like the perfect opportunity for him to re-brand Umcebo with a spanking new logo and look.

On top of this, Robin Opperman, the Creative Director of Umcebo Design, thought that it would be a great idea to herald the arrival of Umcebo Design in Brents Avenue by inviting McFadyean to come up with a mural design for the massive wall at the end of the street. McFadyean, always up for a street art opportunity, enthusiastically dived in and started designing.

Residents in Brents Avenue were asked for permission since McFadyean felt that it was important that a huge mural bring value to the street. Everyone was on-board and so the mural went ahead.

McFadyean took about 16 hours over about five days to paint the mural from scratch. Everything was painted by hand, no spray cans.

According to McFadyean “When I saw the wall and the lonely little tree in front of it, I instantly knew what design direction I wanted to take. For me, the tree design is not only a celebration of Umcebo’s arrival in Brents Avenue, but also a graphic representation of how small ideas can grow huge with the right nurturing. I felt that a graphic tree done in a faux stained-glass technique would read well from a distance as people turn into Brents, but also be something that residents can live with for a while and feel that it brings value and interest to the street.”

The mural - named “The Lucky Bean Tree” is the first of what Opperman hopes to be the rolling out of a year-long project where he hopes to collaborate with muralists and street artists in bringing more art to the streets of Glenwood, Musgrave and Berea.

So, along with other artists, McFadyean’s work will be popping up in other places on the Berea over 2018 - look out for his signature tag “MKM”.

For more information contact 083 793 3408, email: robin@umcebodesign.co.za or visit
www.umcebodesign.co.za