CAROLINE MUDGE

Meet Caroline Mudge, a Cairns-based artist whose colourful characters bring new stories to old road signs, salvaged timber and second-hand paintings.

In this film for the PROCESS exhibition at CRATE59, Caroline traces her journey from travel sketchbooks and illustration work in London to discovering creative possibilities in materials salvaged after Cyclone Larry. Scratches, lettering and weathered surfaces become part of each artwork, connecting her imagery with the history of the objects beneath it.

Behind the sweet colours and playful figures lie reflections on life’s difficulties, resilience and the feelings we don’t always show. Caroline discusses the humour, personal stories and touch of rebellion woven through her work, including a painted road sign that reminds her to slow down.

From delicate brushwork to large-scale murals, it’s an engaging look at an artist who embraces imperfections, follows unexpected ideas and finds room for imagination in overlooked things.