Big Easel, Steel art structure in Emerald, Australia

The Big Easel is a towering steel structure shaped like a giant artist's easel that holds a large reproduction of Van Gogh's Sunflowers painting in Emerald, Queensland. The three-legged frame displays the artwork on a massive plywood surface mounted at an angle, making it visible from the surrounding streets.

This monumental work was created in 1999 as part of an international art initiative celebrating the Dutch painter and focusing on sunflower-growing regions around the world. It has remained a landmark in Discovery Park since its completion.

The easel reproduces the repetition of Van Gogh's fourth Sunflowers (1888), now in London's National Gallery, and stands as a tribute to Emerald's sunflower farming and its Central Highlands Easter Sunflower Festival. Through the Van Gogh Project, Emerald and Altona in Manitoba formed a sister city alliance around their shared sunflower celebrations.

The work is located in the public Discovery Park at the intersection of Dundas Street and Capricorn Highway, making it easy to reach from the main roads. Visitors can view it anytime without entering a building, as it stands outdoors and does not require any admission fees.

The artwork was constructed from multiple plywood sheets that were specially treated with protective coatings to withstand outdoor weather conditions. This layered approach allowed the structure to remain durable and visible for years without requiring constant maintenance.