People arriving in the Clare Valley gateway town of Auburn are to be greeted with a bold new testament to its artistic culture and the passion of a late resident.
Key points:
- A bold new welcome statement for the Clare Valley town of Auburn has been installed
- It was made possible by a bequest from an art-loving local
- The piece celebrates Auburn’s modern and traditional arts culture
The Big A — which will be officially dedicated in coming weeks — is unlike any welcome statement in the region and local Graham Richards said that was exactly the point for Alan Farwell, the man who made it possible with a bequest.
“He wanted it to be something unique to the town and he must have given it a lot of thought because he had already put it in his will,” Mr Richards said.
“We were very close. I was with him before he died when he asked me to see it through.”
Mr Farwell died shortly after being diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2015.
Mr Richards headed up the project for the Auburn Community Development Committee (ACDC), hiring Adelaide artist Craige Andrae to design a welcome statement for Auburn.
“He came back with a simple A. It had a pleasing optical effect, being two parts that combine as you pass it,” Mr Richards said.
“I had my heart in my mouth because the design I wanted was the design that went up.
A life dedicated to the community
Mr Farwell had been a teacher before pursuing his passion for fostering youth music and arts.
He helped found the children’s arts festival Come Out (now Dream Big) in the 1970s and was chair of the South Australian Independent Arts Foundation.
After moving to Auburn in 2002 he became ACDC chair and helped establish the CJ Dennis Festival, named for the famed Australian poet born in the town.
Rhonda Seymour, formerly of Broken Hill, took over the role after Mr Farwell died.
She said Mr Farwell had been an integral part of the community, which was a friendly and welcoming one when she arrived.
“Alan had a lot of time for making connections with people and getting things done for Auburn,” Ms Seymour said.
“Of all the communities I’ve lived in, I’ve never known a community member to leave money behind for a particular project.
Ms Seymour said while there was a mix of opinions of the sign, it represented the town’s strong arts community, both traditional and modern.
“A lot of towns have welcome structures but this is quite different to the bluestone or iron, sheaves of wheat or grape bunches,” she said.
“It’s reflecting that we have a long history of arts and this is something that makes us stand out.”
An official opening of the now-completed welcome sign will be held in the coming weeks, involving the dedication of a plaque in memory of Mr Farwell.
