Canberra artist Smalls' AIS mural of Patty Mills to inspire future champions

Artist James Small aka Smalls, who grew up in Belconnen, was commissioned to paint a mural of AIS and Australian Boomers basketball superstar Patty Mills in one of its accommodation halls.

Canberrans - and their kids - are no doubt re-acquainting themselves with the AIS as they visit the busy COVID mass vaccination clinic there, but this mural is in athletes' accommodation known as the Residence of Champions.

Portraits of other AIS alumni will also be painted at the residence, including those of Paralympic swimmer Matthew Cowdrey, Olympic rowing champion Kim Brennan and basketball superstar Lauren Jackson.

Smalls was earlier commissioned by Rebel Sport to paint basketballers Mills and Jackson at its flagship store in Brisbane.

Now his second portrait of Mills will be inspiring the next generation of champions who live and train on site at the AIS.

"The AIS approached me after seeing my previous sport-related portraiture work," Smalls said.

"I wanted to capture the intensity and physicality of the sport in the portrait. The background is a play on the AIS logo, which already has a great movement and flow to it that suited well.

"I haven't heard from Patty on this one, but would love to know what he thinks, possibly if he'd even come and sign the wall."

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