AMY RUSS
A new community mural set for Nelson’s CBD will be coloured by the community, with locals invited to help decide how the finished artwork will look.
HIWA (formerly known as Arts Council Nelson) is taking a playful approach to the project, asking people to colour in a specially created design.
The winning entry will provide the colour scheme for a mural on the hoardings between Bridge St and Wakatū Square, thanks to Make/Shift Spaces and Isaac’s.
HIWA community arts advisor Lloyd Harwood created the design, which features recognisable Nelson elements including the Boulder Bank, hills, cathedral, wildlife and, naturally, a traffic cone.
As for what he is looking for in the entries, Lloyd says there are no rules when it comes to colour.
“I am wanting to be surprised,” he says.
“The design will hopefully hold together compositionally with whatever may come along. But we are not looking for anything in particular, or the colours being ‘naturalistic’. It could be a mass of bright colours or simply few in various shades. We would love to bring a sense of fun, for instance a pink and purple cat. We are open to anything but will select something which simply appeals the most.”
Once a winner has been selected, the design will be transferred onto the existing panels, with numbered sections matching the colours in the winning entry.
The public will then be invited to help paint the mural using a giant paint-by-numbers approach alongside the lead artist.
“I hope that those involved will feel proud and inspired, a sense of belonging through having engaged in a public artwork with other members of the community,” Lloyd says.
“For viewers, I hope it brightens their day and that people engage in finding the disguised things in the mural.”
There is no need to register for the painting days, and people can stay for as little or as long as they like. Children under 14 must be accompanied by a caregiver.
Painting dates will be announced through HIWA’s website and Facebook page in early November, with sessions planned both during and outside work and school hours.
Entries close at 4pm on Wednesday, 21 October. The winner will receive a $50 gift card, while two runners-up will each receive a $25 gift card.
Full details and entry forms are available at www.acn.org.nz/communityprojects
