![Beachside art: Rick Thomson-Jones used a range of materials in his latest art installation at Shelly Beach. Beachside art: Rick Thomson-Jones used a range of materials in his latest art installation at Shelly Beach.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/sapAXd8fteEmz8dCxaLv7J/47cf25ea-e037-4faf-91c1-8195e56d2518.JPG/r0_0_3264_2448_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
RETIREE Rick Thomson-Jones hopes his visual art installations at Shelly Beach continue to make people smile.
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His latest creation, with a nautical koala adventure theme, acts as a talking point and brings people together.
The work took shape after a beach-goer asked Mr Thomson-Jones to create an art installation for the visually impaired during the Hello Koalas Festival.
A dinghy, fishing rod, shells, driftwood, and toy koalas are featured in the art installation.
“I’ve made it so you can walk in and sit in the dinghy and have photos taken in there,” Mr Thomson-Jones said.
He makes small changes to the beachside art installation each day.
“If somebody sees it once, it won’t be the same the next time they look at it,” Mr Thomson-Jones said.
The art installation will remain all week if the weather is favourable.
The Port Macquarie resident creates the art installations to mark occasions like Easter, Anzac Day, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.
![Talking point: Rick Thomson-Jones, 22-month-old Ashleigh Gray and Lara Gray enjoy the art installation at Shelly Beach. Talking point: Rick Thomson-Jones, 22-month-old Ashleigh Gray and Lara Gray enjoy the art installation at Shelly Beach.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/sapAXd8fteEmz8dCxaLv7J/1e4898e1-5095-452a-900c-75a6dedc8f6e.JPG/r0_0_3264_2408_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The map of Australia often features in the pieces.
“As long as people enjoy them, I will keep doing them,” he said about the art installations.
“I figure if it gives somebody a smile, it’s worthwhile.”
Mr Thomson-Jones started making art installations in Queensland and continued the hobby after he moved to Port Macquarie.
“I think we are all artists in one way or another,” he said.
“There are so many ways to express art.”