Lisa Taliano’s work will soon be seen at the SCG. Photo: Oliver Jacques.
A Griffith woman who took up painting while recovering from breast cancer has been selected to do artwork that will be displayed at cricket stadiums around Australia for the T20 World Cup.
Lisa Taliano was painting her latest masterpiece at the Griffith Multicultural Festival on Saturday, 15 October, where a NSW Government-sponsored regional roadshow stopped by to promote one of the world’s biggest sporting events.
The roadshow is touring 11 regional locations in the lead-up to the tournament, selecting an artist from each town to create a work that will be showcased at venues such as the Sydney Cricket Ground when T20 World Cup matches are played.
“I’m doing a painting of Griffith with a cricketer looking over the town. And I’ll have the Aboriginal logo on it too,” Ms Taliano said.
“I love to tell stories through my art.”
Being selected by the Australian sporting body represented a high point for an artist whose career emerged from adversity.
“I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014 … that’s when I really did start painting. I went through five operations in six months,” Ms Taliano said.
”I’m a very active person, and with nothing to do I started painting. I did paint a bit before that, but that’s when I really got into it … [the art] carried me through.”
Colombian dancers at the Griffith Multicultural Festival. Photo: Oliver Jacques.
Ms Taliano, who was born and bred in Griffith, runs the Greengecko art studio at the Greengecko Garden Centre. She received the offer to paint for the World Cup via a friend who was exhibiting art at her studio.
Australia is hosting 15 other nations for the International Cricket Council T20 World Cup, with matches played across the country between 16 October and 11 November. T20 is the shortest form of the game, with teams given one 20-over innings to bat.
The Australians are slight favourites to win the tournament, just ahead of England and India. The worldwide TV audience for the upcoming India v Pakistan match in Melbourne on 23 October is expected to exceed one billion. Tickets for that fixture sold out in 15 minutes.
“The regional roadshow brings the excitement of the biggest global sporting event in Australia in 2022 to Griffith,” Wagga-based NSW MP Wes Fang said.
NSW Minister for Sport Alister Henskens said the regional roadshow gave recognition to cricket’s base.
“Regional NSW is the heartland of cricket in our state, and the regional roadshow has hit the sweet spot by providing entertainment and inspiration for bush cricket fans across NSW ahead of the T20 World Cup in Australia,” he said.
“Despite having a smaller population than Sydney, regional NSW accounts for around half of the state’s registered players, more than 250 adolescent cricketers in the Cricket NSW pathway system, and produces over 50 per cent of NSW’s contracted professional cricketers.”
The Griffith Multicultural Festival, presented by the Griffith Multicultural Council, is an annual event showcasing the food, dances and cultures of the many nationalities who live in the town.
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