Callum Hotham, a 29-year-old stonemason turned mural artist, is reshaping the city of Bathurst with his vibrant artworks. Over the past three years, Hotham has created murals for approximately 25 schools, businesses, and sports clubs, making him one of the most recognized artists in the area. He signs his work as CALUM and describes the experience of leaving a lasting mark on his hometown as humbling. "I was a little kid here. Now I'm leaving something that's going to be here longer than me," Hotham said.

The initiative to revitalize Bathurst's city center began with retired real estate agent Peter Rogers, who believes the area was in decline. "I'm trying to improve our CBD — I believe Bathurst is dead," Rogers stated. He sought out Hotham to help bring new life to the city. Inspired by a large brick wall, Hotham spent three months transforming the side of an old department store into a mural that reflects the town's history.

The project has attracted visitors from across Australia, as Bathurst is now part of the Silo Art Trail. Rogers noted, "I commissioned it to try and set it off to get other people interested in doing murals in town."

Hotham's artistic journey began during the COVID-19 lockdown in Sydney, where he was inspired by street art. He transitioned from using pens to paints and eventually to spray cans. "I just fell in love with painting with spray cans because there's such a technical side to it," he explained. Hotham honed his skills while painting for businesses in Sydney before returning to Bathurst.

The demand for Hotham's work has surged, and he credits Rogers for igniting interest in public art. He created a personal mural of Bob Clancy, the beloved founder of the Bathurst City Colts, at Clancy's childhood cricket club. "He's such a lovely fella and everyone knows him for that … I wanted him to have a slight grin because that just gives off his character," Hotham said.

Local butcher Kyle Keen has also embraced the mural trend, wanting to enhance his business's identity with artwork that reflects the Bathurst 1000. Keen hopes the murals will attract tourists, similar to the silo art. "We're trying to have it like the silo art. Hopefully this — and all of Callum's other murals — will be something like that as well, where [people] can go around and check them out," he said. Keen has noticed that the murals brighten the days of his customers, who frequently compliment the new look of his shop.

Maryanne Jaques from ArtsOutWest praised Hotham as an "exciting" artist, noting his self-taught background. "If he was painting a couple of hundred years ago, he'd be the guy that you would hire to get your portrait painted if you were very rich," she remarked. Jaques believes that businesses can benefit from advertising while contributing to public art. "Bathurst does feel really proud of these works. Every time he does a new work, I have seen so, so many comments on social media from locals who are celebrating that and championing someone from their community."

Hotham expressed gratitude for the positive response to his work. "The amount of people the work impacts, it's so much bigger than me. I just hope people appreciate it and it makes their day better," he said. His murals continue to bring color and life to Bathurst, fostering a sense of community pride and artistic expression.