For as long as she can remember, Lauderdale artist Awela has been creating things.
Now the 19-year-old is turning Hobart into a giant treasure hunt, hiding tiny hand-painted watercolour creatures in alleyways and secret spots across the city before posting video clues on social media for people to track them down.
“I was probably born with, like, a paintbrush in my hand,” she told Pulse.
“I’ve just always been making stuff.”
The idea was inspired by artists staging similar treasure hunts in cities like New York, but Awela wanted to bring the concept to Tasmania.
“We barely get any cool stuff down here, so I wanted to bring something cool here,” she said.
“I think art should be accessible and, like, easy to get and everyone needs a little art and little treasure hunts.”
Each drop starts with one of Awela’s original watercolour creations, from mushroom characters and dragon worms to quirky little monsters.
After naming the artwork, she hides it somewhere around Hobart, films the process and posts the finished video as soon as the final piece has been placed.
“I called one Fettuccine the other day,” she said.
“It’s my favourite.”
She has hidden about 16 pieces so far.
Sometimes the lucky finder gets in touch, while other times she only discovers a painting has been claimed when someone reports its hiding place is empty.
The treasure hunts have also helped grow her online audience, lifting her social media following from about 24,000 to 26,000, with the strongest response coming on Facebook.
After finishing Year 12 at Big Picture last year, Awela has been accepted into the University of Tasmania’s Bachelor of Fine Arts, which she will begin next year.
She also runs a snail mail club, sending subscribers across Australia and overseas hand-painted watercolour artworks, stickers and handwritten letters from $12 a month.
“Art should be accessible and fun,” she said.
“It’s better than getting taxes in the mail.”
