THE eyesore that is the historic former Newcastle post office building will receive a colourful makeover as part of the returning Big Picture Festival.
On Wednesday Newcastle artist Melody Suranyi and Nelson Bay's Daniel Gould gave onlookers in Hunter Street a small preview by painting a panel of the construction hoarding around the old post office.
When Big Picture Fest returns for its third edition on September 27 to 29 the pair will paint 30 metres of mural on the hoarding along Hunter Street in front of an audience.
"It's going to bring some colour to it, for sure, and some new energy and hopefully the locals are going to really love it," Big Picture Fest director Katerina Skoumbas said.
"We've gotten so much good feedback already today, so it's really exciting."
The post office site is part of a wider Big Picture Fest programme that will also include new murals at the Hunter Water Pump Station in King Street, the Newcastle Permanent building on Scott Street, East End Ice Creamery in Zaara Street and at 802 Hunter Street.
Melbourne's George Rose and Sydney duo Pat Hunter, aka InkHunter, and Jasmine Miikika Craciun will be the other artists on show at this year's festival.
Rose, who has painted multi-storey murals for the Darwin and Brisbane Street Art Festivals, is among Australia's most internationally-recognised artists.
Skoumbas said it's evidence of Big Picture Fest's growing reputation in the Australian street art scene.
"What we're presenting this year is different, it has that uniqueness to work with projections, which is going to bring another element to the festival for sure," Skoumbas said.
"It's always hard to find large-scale walls, so I don't know if it's bigger in that sense, but the awareness is bigger."
Suranyi and Gould are also proof of the Hunter's burgeoning street art scene. The pair were chosen from 65 applicants.
"They've come to the stage of their careers where they're about to hit their peak," Skoumbas said. "That's what we really look for in the artist, that they're able to express themselves in a way that they are really confident to."
Gould has worked as a tattoo artist for 15 years and recently returned from a convention in Nepal. He's painted murals in Bali, Nepal and Thailand, but admits creating art in front of an audience will be a new challenge.
"It definitely makes you step out of your comfort zone," Gould said. "I'm not someone who likes to be in the spotlight of attention. I just like painting.
"I think as far as growing as a professional, doing these interviews and interacting with people on the street, it's good for character building."
Suranyi has a studio at Hamilton's Onwards Gallery and mostly paints for exhibitions and teaches art. She views Big Picture Fest as a major opportunity to expand the reach of her artwork.
"I'm so happy to be in such a prominent space in Newcastle and make my mark on the city," Suranyi said.
"Most of my paintings are inspired by ancient artefacts from Rome and Greece. So I'm doing three giants pots inspired by actual artefacts. Around those vessels I'm doing patterns. Lots of movement, lots of texture and lots of colour."
