Alan Borg (1)

Alan's eye for detail and ability to create art with exceptional precision and intricacy is something to be celebrated. His favourite medium is wood, driftwood specifically, and other found objects (natural and man made) collected from Australia's coastline. Alan's work is celebrated nationally and his wooden sculptures are award-winning. Alan lives on the Southern Yorke Peninsula with his creative family and enjoys watching his wife and children find joy through their artistic talents too. "As soon as Steph and Robyn approached me about contributing a bat for Warooka Bats for Will, I was excited to be a part of such an excellent community movement. Creating a thin garfish, a prolific fish off the coast of where we live (from driftwood and other beach- combed pieces) worked well on this narrow canvas. The fishing rope that can be used to hang the bat is a re-purposed piece of beach debris, showing that everything and everyone is useful and should be given an opportunity to have an important role in this world".

Alice Tilley (1)

An emerging artist, Alice Tilley resides with her young family on a rural property near Kapunda. Alice draws inspiration from her local surroundings and the domestic experiences of daily life to produce predominately landscape and still life oil paintings. Recently reigniting her artistic practice, Alice seeks to appreciate and express the essence and beauty of a place or moment achieved through distinctive use of bold colour and mark making to create shape and form. With the Yorke Peninsula being surrounded by the sea, the beach is an iconic place for many locals and visitors to the region. As our lives become more demanding and urbanised, a vast sandy beach, with its wide open sky and alluring blue waters offers many the precious chance of escapism. It is the simple sensory pleasure of being in nature with few outside distractions whether alone or with loved ones that is so alluring. However we chose to appreciate the beach, it is one of the few places that is truly accessible to all racial, social and gender groups. And it is not a bad place for cricket either!

Belinda Eckermann (1)

Belinda Eckermann comes from the rural town of Rainbow in Victoria’s Mallee Region. Her current practice is intrinsically tied to the local environment and raising awareness through her art. In 2013 she completed her Masters in Visual Arts, which began her focus on working collaboratively with snails and moths, using their mark making as medium. Eckermann has exhibited regularly throughout regional Victoria since 2009. belindaeckermann.wordpress.com Eckermann heard about Bats for Will when she was organising to undertake an artist residency in Warooka to do further research on snails. Being big on community engagement through the arts and supporting those with disabilities through being both a parent and a teacher, she was enthusiastic to be a part of this project. The design for her bat therefore became a story of persistence and a reflection of Warooka and of her arts practice. Coated in snail eaten tissue paper, this bat depicts the snails climbing and clinging to the wheat stalks. On the flat side it shows a squashed snail, on a typical cherry mark. This is indicative of the frustration farmers feel about the snails and the trials being conducted to try and eradicate this pest.

Charlotte Nankivell (1)

My name is Charlotte Nankivell and I’m from Yorketown. I've been creating art on and off for about 5 years, but now I study graphic design and have my own art business, so I am creating in some capacity everyday. I like to use a variety of mediums, but mostly digital and watercolours. I decided to paint in bright and fun colours, which reflects elements of my style. I believe the foundation of art and creating should be fun above all else. Art is for everyone. And I believe everyone has a deep well of creativity that may not be tapped into yet. Everybody deserves the opportunity to create freely!

Darryl Lewis (1)

Born in Adelaide quite a while ago, I started illustrating around grade six at primary school where my teacher was impressed and said I should be a commercial artist when I grew up. So I became and worked at Griffin Press as an artist, went to Messenger Press and became creative manager, ran my own graphic art business for 10 years in Laura, then went back to the Advertiser as a graphic designer and became creative manager at Advertiser Newspapers. During all this time I was still painting and illustrating in my spare time. Eventually retired and moved to Edithburgh to open my own Gallery which was reasonably successful, at the moment the Gallery is closed as I am putting my efforts into painting murals around the area. I really enjoyed the challenge of the Willo idea, turning a cricket bat into a piece of art for a very good cause .. close to my heart.

Ella Germein (1)

Ella Germein is an commonly known by her close friends and family as 'Elfie' is a South Australian Musician in Indie Pop Band 'Germein' , former Television presenter on Network Ten's 'Totally Wild', Video Producer, Photographer and Creative Artist. Ella's artistic talents were recognised by her teachers at a young age. Her unique style and and use of colour grew over the years leading her win the SABSA Art Award at the 2008 Exhibition for South Australia's Highest Achievers in Visual Art and Art Practical Subjects. Over the last eight years Ella has kept up her painting alongside her music and media career. Inspired by Nature, Animals and people Ella likes to use a combination of mixed media and rose gold leaf in her works. She believes art has no limits to style, colour and subject which is evident in her works. For the 'Bat's for Will' design I decided to paint one of my most loved subjects, the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. I have such a love for the these beautiful Australian birds. I wanted the painting to appear like it was flying over the coast of South Australia with the golden leaf resembling the warmth of the sun glimmering off the crystal waters and coastline.

Jess McDonald (1)

I am an artist, and mother of four little boys, from Wool Bay on the Yorke Peninsula. The media that I regularly use for my works are watercolour and Linoleum printing. I Like to depict people and to draw attention to the beauty I see in them. I Have spent several years living in remote Aboriginal communities in both the Anangu, Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara Lands and North-East Arnhem Land and I particularly like to use my art to depict positive, beautiful images of First Australians. This bat is asking the question of whether there is room in our society for truly inclusive communities and it is also a comparison of cultures: relationships and time versus busyness and economy, wisdom versus technology. The difference in media used to portray the cultural symbols speaks of the difference between a culture that holds onto what is lasting and a culture that grabs at what is new and fleeting. The media used is linoleum print and burnt wood/carving.

June Faulkner (1)

June Faulkner is a Fibre Artist who was born and raised on the Yorke Peninsula. Some 30 years later, June returned to the Peninsula and resettled in Stansbury. Fibre has been June's medium of choice now, for over 30 years, originally only using what nature produced, but over time began adding man-made fibres and embellishments to her work. June enjoys the visual, tactile & versatility of all fibre and recycling & up cycling is of high priority, part of her works ethos. June states "this project is just a great way to give an old bat new life while assisting people in our community. "Having worked with people needing support I thought Warooka Bats for Will what a great idea but what could I do in fibre? Then the connection came. With the respectful use of our beautiful native fibres & recognition of our first Aboriginal Cricket team to tour England just over 100 years ago in 1868, it just melded. Having lived & started my fibre journey whilst living in the Western District of Victoria (where the cricketers came from), I had read about these men & of their great athletic feats. I chose to stitch a sheath to cover the bat with three native fibres - Spinifex, Dianella & Cyperus Gymnocaulas and I used emu feather & a native seed Adenanthera Pavoning to embellish. I have included an information map of the Western District area & a stubby holder produced for the centenary celebrations of the First Australian Cricket team to tour England.

Liv Robinson (1)

I have combined two passions, painting and playing cricket. I work with the WA cricketers massaging the Scorchers and Western warriors teams. I have also played cricket for years. I am a professional artist and love capturing the ocean and water. Rich blues are my fav colours to work with at present.

Peter Dixon (1)

Roger Bayzand (1)

Roger is a great friend to Willo. He has painted for Bradman Bats for Will and Melbourne Bats for Will. He organised Perth Bats for Will and painted and now is painting for Warooka Bats for Will. Roger comes from an artistic family and is the 4th generation of painters and potters. Born in the Isle of Wight he now lives in Perth Western, Australia. Although he has his own distinctive style he has studied with several Australian master artist including John Wilson and Barry McCann. His artwork is held in private collections in the USA, France, Holland, Australia, South Africa, Cook Islands and the United Kingdom. Having spent over 30 years running his own charter boat he has a love of marine subjects especially beachscapes but is equally at home painting animals, portraits and landscapes.

Sonya Unwin (1)

Sonya Unwin BA Vis Arts (Hons.) is an Adelaide artist, curator & picture framer. Her studio practice focuses on colour, mood and the horizon. She curates the Metro Art Space at The Hotel Metropolitan, and has been a SALA Artist-in-Residence at the SA Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI). In 2018 she was awarded an Arts Mentorship with the Women’s & Children’s Hospital, and her artwork has recently been published on the cover of ‘Explore’, a science & health journal in the US. A few years ago, friends invited my family to Corny Point on the Yorke Peninsula for a summer holiday. The simplicity and beauty of YP has often inspired me, and this particular trip I took hundreds of photos. Having come from farming land in the state's South East, I was amused by the tractors sitting off shore in the water and the birdlife unfazed by the machinery. So the pelican and the tractor was a natural image to paint on the bat…indicative of YP, farming, fishing, friendships, acceptance, collaboration and horizons. Wills story found a way to my instagram feed (thanks Sarah Shanahan) and I was lucky enough to be able to be involved. I am inspired by Will's tenacity, creativity and attitude, as well as the fact that he has now connected so many people together through his passion.

Terry Braund (1)

Terry Braund is an Edithburgh based artist who works in a variety of mediums. He has been painting for 40 years and has been influenced by many artists over this time. The design for the bat is inspired by local birds and coastal views. "My Grandson Thomas has Autism and attends the Leisure Options program".

Vanessa Murdoch (1)

As an artist working predominantly in kiln formed glass since 1993, I produce work of exhibition standard for galleries, commissions and unique retail outlets. I have a bachelor of Design in Glass and Ceramics from Uni SA. Working from my studio at Warooka, Yorke Peninsula my art references both coastal and rural surroundings. Using a myriad of techniques such as fusing, slumping, casting, engraving and sand blasting, I manipulate the glass, allowing me to play with the fluidity of light, refraction & reflection, expressing notions of place & solace. When thinking about cricket in relation to this opportunity I started thinking about what cricket means to me, there are memories of my Nanna who made me my first cricket bat out of a old shearing shed floor board (if only I was an illustrator) but the overwhelming association is that of heat, the heat of summer, resilience... resilience to learn to practice to overcome in sport and life. The Ashes is synonymous with cricket in Australia, and to get ashes... there must be fire then coals. From the heat of my kiln comes the burning ember of the cricket ball, hit so hard it burns a hole right through the bat. I cast the cricket ball from bulls-eye glass from Portland, Oregon. To make this, I first have to make a refractory mould from plaster and silica then fill the mould with crushed glass and fire it over 18 hrs to 830 degrees then cool it down very slowly over 30 hours - a total of 48 hours. Once cooled and broken from its mould, I then clean it in acid and polish it on a wet belt grinder. Thank you to Willo Cricket Bats, YP Leisure Options and Baker Bros Warooka for bringing this opportunity to fruition.