off the wall
Mural artist Samuel Hall is bringing his own brand of creativity, beauty and artistic expression to the world, one wall at a time
Words Erin Huckle
Images Mikey Conlon
Once upon a time, a wall was just a wall. But today, thanks to the street art movement, any wall has the potential to be a large-scale canvas for original artwork, just waiting to be graced with colour and creativity.
This transformation is evident in our region. Walk through the city centre of Wollongong or the streets of places like Kiama and Woonona, and you’ll find interesting artworks waiting to be discovered around corners, down laneways and on iconic buildings. The movement away from grey and bland is here, and local mural artist Samuel Hall is helping make it happen.
Originally from Kiama, Sam grew up with a love of art and drawing, but his path to becoming a professional artist was far from straightforward.
At 19, Sam moved to Newcastle to start his drafting apprenticeship, and this proved to be a major turning point. The physicality of sitting at a desk all day led to him inadvertently crushing the radial nerves in both his arms, and he received a diagnosis of HNPP (hereditary neuropathy with pressure palsies) - a rare condition where his nerves are easily damaged by pressure or repetitive use, leading to periods of numbness, tingling, weakness and even paralysis.
“It was a pretty tough time for me,” says Sam.
“I moved back home and started to recover and rediscover my love of art, but it was frustrating. I often struggled to hold a pencil and sometimes I’d be shaking too much to be able to get anything done. But it also reminded me of just how much I loved art, and I decided to retrain in graphic design and make a career out of my creativity.”
As Sam’s graphic design business took off, he started to experiment with large-scale paintings on walls as a form of artistic expression, but he struggled to hold a paintbrush for the hours required to create a piece without his hands going numb. It wasn’t until he was travelling through Europe that he discovered how to create art using spray cans, after asking local street artists in Berlin to show him how it was done.
“Using cans is much better for me with my HNPP. I mean I still pretty much have no feeling in the index finger on my right hand from spraying, but it’s a small price to pay to be able to keep creating and painting,” says Sam.
“While I struggle on a daily basis with HNPP and live with the possibility of losing the use of a limb at any moment, in a strange way it’s made me more grateful for the chances I’ve had to improve my health and make my family and friends proud. It’s made me infinitely more motivated to take risks in my career and try and seize every moment as if it was my last.”
Returning to Australia, Sam was determined to make something of his passion for street art, and started out by asking local schools if they’d like him to paint a mural. After Jamberoo Public School said yes, the word got out and other schools invited Sam to create something special on one of their walls.
“I’ve loved working in schools. The kids are always really interested in seeing me in action, and they ask a lot of questions. When I was their age, I didn’t realise being an artist could be a career choice, so it’s cool to be able to inspire kids about what’s possible”
Stormzy - Newtown
Today, Sam has an impressive portfolio of work under his belt - from schools and businesses to large-scale public walls - and he takes inspiration from photography, nature, people, and sculpture.
On the day we speak, Sam is painting in a street art festival in the Southern Highlands, where he’s transforming a wall at the Rural Fire Station building and is using two of the locals who established the station as his muses.
“I’ve met with these guys and taken their photos. It’s pretty incredible that they helped set up the station 75 years ago, and now their faces will be a piece of art on the building’s walls. I love using photos of people as the basis of artwork, and then exploring ways to add flourishes or elements of nature.”
Becoming well established as an artist with a reputation for doing great work has also given Sam more opportunities for expression and collaboration. He’s recently finished walls for his local cafe, Frank n Beans in East Corrimal, is awaiting permission for a new large-scale wall in Wollongong’s CBD, and will spend the next month working on projects in the Southern Highlands, Darling Harbour in Sydney and Java in Indonesia.
It’s clear that Sam’s creative vision and positive attitude mean he’s an artist who’s making a big impact and helping others along the way.
“It’s exciting that in the world today you can make a life out of doing what you love. And I’ve found that if you’re a good person, doing good work, opportunities come your way. I can’t wait to see what happens next.”
SoulFit Woonona
Follow Sam’s work at www.samuelhallartist.com or on Instagram @samwellwellwellll