Defence Bank — 50 Years

A 100 × 150 cm mixed-media commission celebrating Defence Bank’s 50-year history of service, community and connection.

Client

Defence Bank

Year

2025

Medium

Mixed media on canvas

Scale

100 × 150 cm

The project

THE COMMISSION

Building one image from many stories

Created to mark Defence Bank’s 50th anniversary, the painting translates five decades of history into one layered visual narrative. The brief called for an artwork that felt proud and optimistic while remaining grounded in the people and communities behind the organisation.

The composition moves like a contemporary mural: fragments of the Army, Navy and Air Force sit alongside family life, housing, healthcare, banking and remembrance. Poppies acknowledge service and legacy, while gestures of connection and bright radiating colour carry the eye towards a shared future.

Rather than illustrating a timeline literally, I built a flowing collage of symbols and human moments. The final image balances institutional history with warmth, energy and a sense of belonging.

The anniversary event

LIVE AT THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY

Painting in front of the Defence Bank community

The project extended beyond the studio. At Defence Bank’s 50th-anniversary party, I worked on the painting live in front of guests and staff. Painting in public made the commission part of the celebration itself, allowing people to see the image develop and connect directly with the story behind the finished work.

Image placeholder

Live painting at the anniversary event

THE FINISHED WORK

Details and installation

Image placeholder

Artwork detail

Image placeholder

Finished artwork / installation view

FIFTY YEARS OF SERVICE, SUPPORT AND COMMUNITY—BROUGHT TOGETHER IN ONE IMAGE.

Commission an artwork

LET’S CREATE SOMETHING WITH A STORY.