Te Ngae Road Mural

The main route into Rotorua from the airport and the east, including Whakatane and Tauranga, has a section which has been continually tagged by a variety of people. In previous times, when there was a mural, it was an inviting entrance to the city.

I would like to spend four weeks painting a mural by hand, which will be approximately 33.5m in length, depicting sone of the native flora and fauna seen in Rotorua. 

Descriptively, imagine a tui launching into flight, giant pukeko strutting along, kotare sitting by springs, kiwi foraging in the ferns, and piwakawaka observing passers by, with a backdrop of ferns and other native trees and bushes. 

All of this will create a backdrop fitting of Rotorua and leading the eye into the centre.

This wall is one of a few, although is the most visible in its entirety.  I am keen to start a trend of murals, potentially by diverse artists, styles, and kaupapa along this road.  Imagine how amazing and vibrant the city entrance could be if the rear of the industrial area became an art form!

The wall itself belongs to a storage facility,, who are happy to have a mural painted on it.

Unfortunately, they do not have the funds to make it happen, and this is their rear wall, which does not directly affect them.

The Rotorua Lakes Council is keen to see this project happen if I can find the majority of the funding.  I hope to get some additional funding from them.

The total cost of the project, including tools, materials and time, after the sponsorship by Resene, is around $7060.  The $2500 is what i am prepared to do the project for, if I do not find additional finance.

Breaking it down:

Paint (8L primer; 4L white, 2L each of red, blue, yellow, black, 1L of 5 key additional colours; 8L Graffiti Shield) $1860 - $1450 Resene sponsorship  = $410 approx

Rollers, brushes (including artists brushes) $350 approx

Time - The space measures just over 90 square metres. It needs priming, base coating, detailing, and then a graffiti shield coat. This would be done in three sections, in order to complete each area and protect it from the elements and from tagging (each graffiti shield pot will cover approx 1/3 of the wall). 

$35 per hour x 3 sections x 2 weeks (60 hours per week) 

= $6,300

Total cost is $7060.

I want to start working on spaces in my city, which need rejuvenating and beautifying. I have been fortunate to land mural work in Australia, following selection in mural fest finals in Tasmania and Victoria however I would like to use my mural skills on walls in Aotearoa and particularly.in Rotorua, where I live. By doing this, I can contribute to the place that I have spent most of my life.

This wall needs help and is seen really clearly as tourists and visitors, as well as half the population of Rotorua, drive past it each day.

I want to show what is amazing about this city, and give people something to smile at, with the character of the native birdlife, which we have, I feel that it will remind people to appreciate nature as well as art, and visit our iconic redwoods and parks, where our birds and trees are.