Sequence of history-themed murals planned

December 22nd, 2012
[by David Armstrong, first published in The Motueka Guardian]

A series of nine high-quality murals following historical themes is being planned for Motueka's business area, to be painted over several years as funds become available.

With $3000 in grants provided by the Council and Community Board, the first mural will be ready to start early 2013.

The project will use a variety of designers and artists working under the tutelage of Riwaka's award-winning graphic designers and sign writers Andy Lowe (of Image Creators) and Alex Burnett.

Vision Motueka, which is managing the project, initially will work with up to six High School Art Department students and two previous students who have been at art school since leaving the area. The artists will receive site and safety inductions with Allied Workforce in Nelson before beginning the project onsite.

The nine murals will use historical content provided by local historian Eileen Stewart as well as ideas put forward at a public workshop in October, says project co-ordinator Kahu Geor.

Those ideas reflected the many things that locals think make Motueka special - its people, culture, history, industry and surrounding natural flora and fauna.

The sequence of murals will be based on a historical timeline up to the present day. However, Kahu says that although the content of each part of the sequence is being developed now, the murals will generally not be painted in that sequence as they will depend on walls becoming available.

In the end, people will be able to walk around the town following the sequence of themes.

The first mural, to be painted will be on the Elevation Cafe north wall, will actually be the last in the series. It will feature current times and adventure tourism on a "mountains to the sea" theme.

Already a variety of groups are contributing to the murals project. Apart from the Council and Community Board grants, Our Town Motueka has provided advertising, Resene will contribute paint, the Corrections Department has volunteered labour, the Historical Society is providing specialist advice, the Motueka Arts Council is offering support, and local artists have emailed saying they'd like to be involved.

The Vision Motueka mural committee are coordinating the people and groups, and say they are still looking for people with skills in fundraising and retailers to offer walls, whilst businesses can get behind the project by way of sponsorship.

"We look forward to engaging all age groups from schools up to retired people," she says. "This will become a community-led development."

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