The 2023 Floriade Cubby House was a project filled with creativity, challenges, and an incredible outcome. Commissioned by The Property Collective, I was tasked with transforming a custom-built cubby house into a vibrant, hand-painted artwork to be auctioned for charity. What began as a four-day painting plan quickly turned into a race against time, with unexpected delays and a structure twice the size I had prepared for. Through late nights and problem-solving, the mural was completed just in time—and the results were beyond worth it. The cubby sold for an astounding $13,700, with proceeds benefiting Synergy Group’s partner charities, and was later donated to a local women’s and children’s refuge, giving it a meaningful new home.
FLORIADE CUBBY 2023
Canberra based realestate agency, The Property Collective (TPC), approached me with an exciting opportunity to bring their Floriade Cubby House to life—a one-of-a-kind, hand-painted playhouse set to be auctioned for charity in the heart of Canberra’s famous flower festival. The concept needed to align with the vision of both TPC and Floriade event organisers while complementing the specifications provided to the builder. Once my design was approved, I planned for four days to paint all four walls of the cubby, ensuring every detail was thoughtfully executed within the project’s tight timeline.
“From concept to final delivery, you were a pleasure to deal with, so thank you. Look forward to working again on another creative masterpiece!” - Will Honey, Director of Sales, TPC
As with any large-scale project, unexpected challenges arose. Bump-in was delayed due to poor weather, pushing back the construction timeline. Originally scheduled to be ready five business days before the deadline, the cubby wasn’t completed on time, leaving me little room to work within the agreed schedule. To make up for lost time, I requested permission to begin painting over the weekend. However, when I arrived on-site, I discovered that the builder had taken creative liberties—the cubby was now double the expected size, and the exterior had not yet been sheeted. With the structure still unfinished and an even larger surface to paint, my carefully planned timeline suddenly became much tighter.
By Monday morning, I was able to confirm with the builder that the sheeting would be completed by 11:30 am. With only 3.5 days remaining, I got straight to work. The 14m² mural was my first-ever large-scale piece, and while the reduced timeframe meant sacrificing some of the finer details I had initially envisioned, I adapted quickly—working late nights under less-than-ideal lighting to get the job done. Despite the challenges, the final result was well received by both The Property Collective and Floriade organisers, proving that flexibility and persistence can lead to something truly special.
On auction day, the cubby house sold for an incredible $13,700, with proceeds donated to Synergy Group’s partner charities, Roundabout Canberra and the Indigenous Marathon Foundation. The cubby itself was then donated to a local women’s and children’s refuge, ensuring it would continue to bring joy and comfort to those who needed it most. A project that began as a creative challenge became something far more rewarding—an artwork with a lasting impact.
