Drawing Connects QLD Bowling Community

An epic piece of art featuring 260 faces of the Queensland Tenpin Bowling community is up for all to see and enjoy at Logan City Tenpin Bowl promoting the Spirit of Bowling.

The drawing helps represent what we all know is great about the sport of Tenpin Bowling. A sport for all, with no age, size, speed, or strength limitations. Showcasing well-known local bowlers to state representative icons to aspiring junior bowlers, the drawing captures a wide variety of faces that help represent the bowling community in Queensland.

A local 26-year-old in Jamie Revell is the artist responsible for the creation. An aspiring professional artist, Jamie is a local from Logan and an avid Tenpin Bowler.

With the assistance of real-life photos, the drawing was meticulously crafted for 13 months from start to finish. Spending ‘hundreds of hours’ forming the picture, the finished product involved researching and getting to know the highlighted bowlers. For the artist Jamie, the aim was to create an image that promoted friendship and a sense of family.

“I wanted to bring the bowlers together as a family. Connected so their bond will last like a family,” explained Jamie. “It’s never been done before, and the community hasn’t had a chance to come together very often lately”.

Having problems with social skills in the past and diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jamie, like many, utilises drawing to help express inner emotions and feelings without words. Many of Jamie’s feelings and emotions revolve around the sport of Tenpin Bowling.

According to many of Jamie’s friends, involvement with Bowling has provided improvements in self-confidence and allowed Jamie to ‘come out of his shell’. Crediting the sport for who he is today, Jamie loves to be involved in Bowling as much as he can.

After beginning league bowling in 2007, Jamie’s introduction to bowling lasted only a year. A nagging ankle injury saw a required break from the sport before returning in 2014 where he’s been bowling ever since. 

His weekly schedule involves bowling two nights a week and an occasional sub in other leagues. Owner of a 190 average, Jamie has recently begun stepping out of his comfort zone and Bowling in more competitive leagues. Not only does Jamie bowl, but he likes to help around the bowl, completing work experience duties at Logan City.

The Logan City bowl is Jamie’s ‘happy place’. A place that has helped shape who Jamie is as a person and why he holds the sport so close to his heart.

“I love bowling because of the friends you make and the opportunity to challenge yourself,” said Jamie. “There is a real sense of family at Logan, and each person challenges you to become better”.

After completing the drawing, Jamie approached centre manager Janine Buckingham about the chance of it staying at his ‘happy place’.

“We felt absolutely honoured that he wanted the drawing at the centre,” said Janine. “All the staff feel privileged to have it here, and every time you walk past, you see another face you didn’t see before”.

For Jamie, he is equally grateful to have his drawing up for all to see in the place that provides so much joy.   

“I feel honoured and privileged it’s in the centre. I’ve seen lots of comments on Facebook, and I started to cry when I saw the post and the happiness many people had,” explained Jamie. “I wanted to make something that inspired future generations in 20 years, to look at the bowlers and understand the spirit of bowling – never give up, determination, passion and drive”.

Jamie credits bowling as what has made him who he is today.  A sense of great appreciation and gratitude is evident in the drawing he has created. A deep passion for the sport is necessary when committing to such a task as hand drawing 260 faces over 13 months.

Just as Jamie wanted, we have no doubt that the drawing will inspire many bowlers that come into contact with it. We congratulate Jamie on completing this incredible piece of art and encourage all to stop and have a look when visiting Logan City Tenpin bowl.