Take a look at The Mannuem Community Library aka The Arthouse/Outhouse… isn’t it beautiful?
This unique Street Library is situated in Manneum, QLD, and the story behind it is as lovely as the artwork that adorns its walls.
The Arthouse/Outhouse has been a passion project for Street Librarian, Debbie. “I wanted to make a community street library dedicated to the memory of my Mum,” she says.
“Mum was a collector of recipe books and sports biographies – an interesting combination, I know. Whilst the sports biographies were read, many of the recipe books she bought were still in ‘as new’ condition, having never been used or even opened after she bought them as ‘must haves’!”
Today The Arthouse/Outhouse sits out front of Debbie’s farm.
“It was the outhouse in the backyard of my Mum’s place,” Debbie says of the repurposed outdoor loo. “She lived in the same little street in Beaudesert for 54 years until her passing.”
“It was in pretty good shape, despite its age and never having had a coat of paint. It was moved almost four hours to our farm in a shift that was a bit nerve wracking at times.”
She continues: “My husband has done an amazing job in preparing the library’s forever site. He’s built fencing around it, mounted it on stumps and added internal shelves and an outside step. It has taken around 6 months to prepare and we’ve used litres and litres of undercoat, internal, and external paint. “
Although she doesn’t consider herself an artist, Debbie has done an incredible job of creating an artwork that honours her mum. “The wall murals took months of painting what was in my mind and my heart.”
“I have taken much of the inspiration from the landscapes of the Mannuem district on my daily walks. Every brushstroke has been filled with love and I hope people love the final result as much as I do.”
“I hope the Mannuem Community Street Library builds community connections and gets people talking. Everyone is welcome, not just from Mannuem but wherever you live. We will continue to grow and develop the site over time.”
Love this.
