My first 2 mural commissions in Aotearoa NZ this time around were painted on a koha basis.. that is to say i offered my services cheap or free, on a community facebook page.. asking to be paid just whatever was felt it valued. IT WORKED
From a humble FB post i received 5 years worth of enquiries, i am still now working through the list of requests, many of the potential clients have been very patient and not expecting cheap or free murals atall!
..This initial reaction to my work in NewPlymouth enabled me to feel very confident to be able to offer my painting skills for free to begin with..
First two clients that responded to this offer were both gorgeous, flexible and very kind in their offerings. One requested specific pink flowers on the front of her smart beachside home…. and the other was open to ideas and luckily it was connected garden centre so i took my most recent inspirations and simply blew them up big.
Hamblyn Rd, Strandon , New Plymouth, Taranaki NZ.
A brave street facing mural, metres from the beach, on perfectly smooth new render and in full summer sun. During this time i was also juggling part time casual work screenprinting, and childcare but this client was so accepting and happy with the changes i was making to her home, that it didn’t matter. The fear of someone changing their mind half way through the design process, or halfway through a paint, or the rain deciding to set in, well that fear was fading and our move across the globe was feeling like a good thing already..
Big Jims Garden Centre, Bell Block, New Plymouth 4373.
These proteas… what an amazing flower.
I can honestly say i’ve been afraid of painting these plants in the past due to not knowing that i could pull it off or do them justice.. but so far NZ was creating such a confidence in me that i just committed, crossed the river of doubt and submitted the first idea that came into my head, from the first plant id noticed when i visited the garden centre to see the wall.
so i started 2025 with huge pink flowers, confident leafy shapes and interesting , almost abstract blends. it all came together on this cafe garden wall really nicely.
I was really happy with the final result and especially happy with the 10km cycle to and from the job. my fitness peaked just in time for a half-marathon in the forest just outside NewPlymouth a few days afterwards.. and well.. murals and running have all just been on a consistent upswing since then.
