METRO LANEWAY

Metro Café, Mount Gambier – recognized far and wide as more than a café, it is a lively centre of community energy.  The daily crowds already burst out onto the Commercial Street East footpath and customers have a new place to hangout – The Metro Laneway. The Laneway at the rear of the café facing Percy Street has undergone a major facelift.

Local street artist Anthony Hamilton (SKIPO) in collaboration with his apprentice ToastiG, aka Gina Raisin has designed a new universe that springs from the freshly painted laneway walls. Characters, landscapes and stories in vivid colour come to life as the laneway is transformed from dull walkway to vibrant and inviting gathering place.

Toni Vorenas, owner/ manager of Metro Café says of the staff's impressions “the team are very excited, they really like the look and feel of Anthony's creation, he is one talented guy. It was a great collaboration with his apprentice ToastiG, who project managed the transformation of the walls”.

Anthony Hamilton has been creating large-scale community art since 2000, his projects have included schools such as Mulga Street and Mount Gambier High School. He has also undertaken community projects such as The Loft and work at Pangula Mannamurna. Anthony has worked with hundreds of local young people teaching them about street art and the art of cartooning. His work is full of quirky characters, incredible landscapes and stories that relate to the spaces and people he works with.

Gina Raisin has had the opportunity to contract Anthony over many years especially in her work at the City of Mount Gambier with the Youth Advisory Committee. Gina is an emerging artist in her own right and is excited to be learning some amazing new skills and techniques. Anthony came up with her tag ToastiG as part of her initiation into the world of street art. Gina project managed the Metro Laneway artwork in return for her street art tuition and experience.