In 1998, Managing Director Andi Mether started up a small business and 20 years later Zest Events International is still going strong!

To celebrate here’s 20 memorable Zest moments. Scroll on for a short trip down memory lane….

1. Memorable moment from lead artist Jenny McCracken

This was the first project I ever worked on with Andi and Zest, back in 2003. It was a joint project with Ulla Taylor. We created ‘Angels of Christmas’ over 7 days next to the shot tower inside the Melbourne Central. Such a lovely job to work on

2. Chalk the Walk

This pavement art festival started as a personal project – a way for Andi to bring a bit of art back in her life…

Little did she know she would integrate chalk art into her business and still be immersed in the art scene 20 years later!

3. Extreme Event Management

Photos from the Lost Cameleer Car Rally

What do 20 corporates, a coo-ee competition and the iconic Uluru have in common? They were all a part of one of the craziest projects Zest has pulled off – the Lost Cameleer Car Rally!

The rally ran from Alice Springs to Uluru, mini-Amazing-Race-style. Zest researched the course, worked with local tourism businesses, negotiated sponsorship and organised events at each of Voyages Hotels & Resorts along the way. Competitors travelled 500 km’s over 3 days, unravelled clues and participated in challenges like whip cracking and the unforgettable ‘Coo-ee Call’ at Standley Chasm. The event concluded on discovery of the The Lost Cameleer at Uluru’s Lost Camel Hotel. Great team building, fabulous way to showcase Central Australia and undeniably one of the most out-of-the-box projects Zest has been involved in!

4. Playing with the big kids

The day Play School called we knew we’d hit the big time. A ‘windows’ story with Humpty Dumpty was definitely a highlight!

Anton Pulvirenti with 3D chalk Humpty Dumpty

 

5. Australia’s largest 3D street painting

Australia's Largest 3D Street Painting Circular Quay Chalk Urban Art Zestei

The Zest team lead by Jenny McCracken and Leon Keer created this massive piece in 2014 in Sydney’s Customs House Forecourt – it’s Australia’s largest 3D street painting. 8 artists, 6 days, 350sqm. It was a massive effort – but what a result!

6. Lasting partnerships

For the past 12 years, Zest has had the pleasure of working with IAG and CGU Insurance to deliver memorable experiences for the organisation and their partners at the annual COBA Conference. Click the link to see a few of the photos from the fabulous evening Brisbane City Hall last year.

gala dinner in brisbane organised by Zest Events

7. Memorable moment: Rudy Kistler

Giant Octopust on The Strand in Townsville

In 2015 I worked alongside Jenny McCracken at Townsville’s Strand Ephemera Festival. I was in Japan at the time, so I kissed my wife goodbye, jumped on a train to the Tokyo airport and barely made it through lightning storms and train shutdowns to get there on time.

Andi, Jenny and I had two amazing weeks in sunny Townsville to create 3D artworks along the beachside footpath. I created a 3D octopus emerging from a smartphone and worked with local students to fill sections of the footpath with pictures of colourful shells and starfish. At night we celebrated with the sculptors that come for the festival, making many new friends I still keep in touch with today!

Manly Seahorse Plastic Free July Jenny McCracken Zestei

8. Art for Action

Our passion at Zest is working on those projects where we get to make a difference! From ‘Plastic Free July’ and ‘Bin Your Butts’ campaigns to anti-litter projects, we’re fighting the War on Waste and actively changing behaviour!

Check out more examples of our unique eco-artworks here.

 

 

 

 

 

9. Zest at Wall To Wall Festival Benalla

orangutan mother and baby

We took 5 of our Artists to Benalla for the 2017 Wall to Wall Festival and each Artist created a mural in their own unique style.

Jenny McCracken produced ‘Beneficiaries of the Palm Oil Estates’ (pictured above) to raise awareness for the Orangutan Project. Anton Pulvirenti painted the beautiful Serafina on the Bakery in recognition of Benalla’s migrant history. Rudy Kistler transformed the entrance to the Library with ‘ex Libris’, Mealie Batchelor exposed a Whale near the water and Dom Intelisano tempted onlookers with a donut outside the Dentist. See them all!

Andi Mether with Jimeoin

10. Work Perks!

Over the years we’ve worked with some of Australia’s great talent.

Legends like James Morrison, Emma Pask, Ross Wilson, Jimeoin, Anh Do, Lehmo, Joe Camilleri, Mahalia Barnes, Katie Noonan & Tim Campbell.

Such a privilege!

 

 

11. Memorable moment: Shannon Keane

Luna Park 2D Pop Art Circus Photo Wall Lions Child In Mouth Shannon Keane Zestei

I love seeing how the public interacts with the 3D artworks. On arriving at Luna Park to get some pics of my Circus mural, the first thing I saw was a father holding his son in front of the lions mouth, about to feed him to it!
 
I had thought that people would pose with their own hand, or head, in the mouth. But feeding your own child to the lion? Genius. Evil genius!

12. Making history

In 2012 Zest Artist Jenny McCracken won first place in her division of the ‘Olympics’ of Street Painting, Antichissima Fiera Delle Grazie, and returned home with as Australia’s first Madonnara.

The whole fabulous journey was recorded in CHALK: An Australian Perspective, our documentary which was screened on SBS, Foxtel, in NZ and the UK and around the world on Qantas.  Here’s the trailer!

13. Memorable moment: Amelia Batchelor

Ooh so many fond memories…. I first met Andi Mether in 2008 at Chalk the Walk on the Gold Coast. It was pouring with rain and we were moved into the Cavill Avenue shopping complex. I was awarded Best Technical in the competition and I met Jenny McCracken, Dom Intelisano and Geoff Hupfeld (who are both great mates now)!

I was simply hooked on chalk art after this event! Andi kept in touch and I was definitely on-board for the next Chalk the Walk in Sydney and, the rest is history!

14. Putting the magic back into Christmas

Westfield Knox 3D Street Art Christmas Sleigh Jenny Mccracken Zestei

We’ve done some seriously Santa-worthy Christmas projects over the years – who wouldn’t want a selfie surfing with Santa or gossiping with Gingerbread men – its simple family fun!

Want to see more Christmas inspired artworks – here’s a few of our favourite stocking stuffers!

15. The World is Our Canvas

3D Chalk Art 2015 World- Street Painting Festival Jenny McCracken Andi Mether Zestei

Over the last 20 years we’ve worked in Italy, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Dubai, Kuwait, Qatar, NZ, Japan, Canada and the USA; headlining festivals and collaborating with other talented artists and brilliant organisers…. some great times and unforgettable memories.  The image above is from The World Street Painting Festival in Arnhem, Jenny McCracken won 1st prize.

16. Memorable moment: Anton Pulvirenti

Lifes Great 3D illusion by Anton Pulvirenti

I love being able to go back to old Zest projects and see people still loving them, like the mural we did for The Roasted Berry in Mingara Recreation Club…it was great to see it looking so good when we went back to do the “Life’s Great” 3d illusion earlier this year!

17. Festival fun times

3d chalk art paper plane over valley at Brisbane Festival

Our Festival artworks are all about fun and interaction. We’ve danced with crabs in Western Australia, wined and dined in Tasmania, and polished our blue suede shoes in NSW. This is one of our favourites from artists Amelia Batchelor and Dom Intelisano at the 2015 Brisbane Festival.

18. Memorable moment: The Impact Agency

Spanish Olives 3D artwork with The Impact Agency

Thanks to the incredible talents of Zest Events International, we were one of the first agencies to provide a social sharing offering to our clients with this great interactive artwork for Spanish Olives.

Always ahead of the curve!

19. A fresh new look

Zest Events International

In celebration of 20 years in operation, Zest has just launched a brand shiny new website!!

We’ve got detail on our services and more great pics of projects. You can read up on our case studies and blogs, get a snapshot of the Zestimite team and take a sneaky peek at who we are working with!

Andi Mether

20. Get the full story!

Want to know a little more about how Managing Director Andi

Mether has kept the business Zesty over the last 20 years?

 

Read all about it in this exclusive interview

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Join our mailing list to receive quarterly updates from our team.

You have Successfully Subscribed!