Damien Mitchell grew up in Wagga, moved to Prague when he was a teen and spent the last 10 years in New York, before moving to Sydney recently with his wife.

Mr Mitchell said it would take him about three weeks to complete the mural on Walla's water tower, which depicts the town's settlers and animals endemic to the area.

"Being from the area and not having lived in Australia for the last 20 years I want to put up some of my work," he said.

"I want to maybe change some peoples opinions about public art or spray paint art on walls, maybe take some of the stigma away, or inspire local artist to pick up a brush or a can."

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Mr Mitchell said public art could create a talking point for a small town.

"It can bring them to town and have them discover other parts of town," he said.

"Even yesterday we had three different couples that came past in caravans saying they'd come for something else and then saw this and stopped by, it can be a great place making tool, it can put smaller places on the map.

"I stopped into the pub last tonight for dinner, said hello to a bunch of locals, everyone's been really welcoming, everyone's said they're really happy to have some art in town."

"In New York, because it is the home of art, people can get a bit over it, whereas here people are really supportive and really into it, so it's a lot more fun as an artist to get the buzz."

Mr Mitchell said Walla's water tower mural had opened up potential works in other parts of the community.

"I was talking to two blokes last night about doing [the silos in Walla] and someone wanted a shed in Walbundrie painted, the back of the pub, whatever it was," he said.

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