Brisbane Open House is a free public festival that celebrates Brisbane’s architecture and offers behind-the-scenes access to 100 buildings across the city. The Brisbane Open House began on Saturday and ended today (September 8 and 9).

Unknowing that preparations were happening all around me last Thursday, I had ventured into the city to check our visas at the Australian Immigration Office. I almost tripped over an orange traffic cone and realised it wasn’t the usual construction barricade on the footpath, but someone was actually sitting and painting.

I sat with her briefly and watched her paint before Debra Hood became aware of my presence. Debra, a talented Brisbane artist is one of many people who took part in the Open House programme. Her role was to paint these colourful Queenslanders on this power box (pictured above), a task she had accomplished many times under the Traffic Signal Boxes for Urban Smart Projects and Brisbane City. The project helps the council to protect the power boxes from graffiti.

Debra specialised in these very colourful traditional Queensland homes and enjoys it a lot. She seemed quite comfortable sitting and painting on side of the bustling Adelaide Street. If you like her work, please visit her website: debrahoodart to see more of her beautiful Queenslander art.