From The Big Idea website, July 2004
New Wellington Seascape for Oriental Bay
Whales, fur seals, and schools of fish are coming to the surface along Oriental Parade. The waterfront area has become even more scenic with the completion of a bold seascape mural on the wall between the road and the footpath, opposite Freyberg beach and playground.
What was once a drab, cracking retaining wall is now, thanks to a team of local painters and an innovative community arts initiative, an extraordinary new addition to Wellington's urban environment. After months of planning and six weeks of creative work, the Oriental Bay Seascape Mural was official unveiled on Friday 25 June.
The public art project was dreamed up by Eric Holowacz, Community Arts Co-ordinator at Wellington City Council, whose office is a few blocks away from the site. After walking past the non-descript wall dozens of times, Holowacz began thinking of possible creative improvements.
"Wellington's harbour is such an inspiring sight, and anyone who has been diving in local waters knows about the wonders of our marine habitats," said Holowacz. Following a particularly adventurous weekend excursion with Miramar diving legend Rob Marshall, Holowacz hit on the idea of a giant underwater vista populated with crayfish, kelp forests, fishes, rock formations and all of the things he had just discovered below the surface. "Rob and a spare wetsuit made that mysterious world more familiar to me, where dusky dolphins jump and swarm in circles, where paua cling to tide-beaten rocks, where birds glide overhead and kahawai feed below."
Walking back to work the next Monday, the community arts co-ordinator pondered a few questions. How could we get artists to render those habitats and all their mystery, magic, and wonders? How could we turn an old, crumbling wall into a work of creative, educational art?
The answers came when he proposed the idea for an "Art-quarium" to some staff of the Department of Conservation's Wellington Conservancy, who agreed to fund the mural and guide the scientific research behind it. Expanding on the standard mural format, Holowacz engineered a way to have a primary artist paint the overall wall mural and then commission a group of illustrators to design marine life on plywood cut-outs. He drafted a call for proposals and participation guidelines, formalised the partnership with DOC, and the Oriental Bay Seascape Mural was ready to take the plunge.
Wellington artist Ellen Coup had her design selected in April as the primary wall mural. Over the past six weeks, she has been painting the underwater scene, and transforming a dull urban block of concrete into a swirling, salty, magical view of our native waters. While the lead artist was on-site creating crashing waves and rocky beaches, four others were busy researching and illustrating marine life. Manuela Adreani, an Italian artist currently residing in Wellington, took birds as her subject. Amy Brenan, a recent design and illustration graduate of Massey University, decided to paint invertebrates. Mica Still, a transplanted American painter who is also a tutor at Vincent's Art Workshop, decided to learn about and depict local fishes. And Ben Walden, a Kiwi who has created large-scale murals in Auckland and Northern Ireland, took on the task of painting the large marine mammals. These artists initially worked with local marine scientists from NIWA, Te Papa and DOC, who helped them research and select their marine life subjects. The results were carefully illustrated on sign-grade plywood, and recently attached to the finished wall to complete the mural process.
"It's so real you almost want to hold your breath and go for a swim," said Maureen Hickey, who walked over from the nearby playground to watch as the final pair of birds were bolted in palce. "I like the dolphins and the whales," said three-year old daughter Eva, pretending to swim alongside the life-sized orca. Over the past few weeks, everyone who has encountered the mural has ended up mesmerised by the artwork.
“It’s been really rewarding to do such a public piece of art. Pedestrians, joggers, beach-goers, cyclists, young and old have shown interest and enthusiasm in the mural in progress. It has come together really quickly, with the bolt-on illustrations installed just recently. The entire wall looks fabulous. It’s a great way to add a little bit more to what is already a fantastic location. I’ve really enjoyed this project,” Ms Coup said.
DOC Community Relations Programme Manager Dairne Poole said the completion of the mural was a milestone in DOC’s aim to increase public awareness of marine environmental issues. With the addition of informative signs about the creatures on display, the mural would be an excellent educational tool.
“We really hope that schools take the opportunity to use it as a teaching resource. The ability to change the creatures on the wall over time also presents the opportunity to address any special issues facing the harbour that might arise, so it can change over time,” she says. And, in a way, that community involvement aspect has already become evident.
"As we were installing the whales, dolphins, penguins and a sly looking gurnard, small children were smiling and with delight, and inspecting every inch of the mural scenes" said Holowacz. "Joggers would turn, slowing their pace, then shout out quick praise to the painters. Tourists were snapping photos on each end of the wall, no doubt hoping to take a piece of Wellington, and our glorious harbour, home with them."
Holowacz noted that this project was also driven by incredible community spirit. Benchmark Building Supplies in Newtown, and it's plywood agent International Panel and Lumber, donated all the wood required. Resene and Ramset willingly gave their products. And, last but not least, Patrick King, owner of Cut to Size, donated hours of his time to professionally prepare and cut each and every one of the mural elements.
"When we needed something, all of these businesses responded" said Holowacz, "Because that's the kind of place Wellington is. They helped us give our city a colourful new scene, not to market their brands or get something commercial out of it, but because they genuinely care about community--and because they hope to see more smiles, and more delight in it."
For details on the Oriental Bay Seascape Mural, and other community arts projects in Wellington, contact Eric Holowacz on 385-1929 or arts@wcc.govt.nz. To learn more about DOC and the upcoming Conservation Week programmes in August 2004, contact Dairne Poole on 470-8433.
Whales, fur seals, and schools of fish are coming to the surface along Oriental Parade. The waterfront area has become even more scenic with the completion of a bold seascape mural on the wall between the road and the footpath, opposite Freyberg beach and playground.
What was once a drab, cracking retaining wall is now, thanks to a team of local painters and an innovative community arts initiative, an extraordinary new addition to Wellington's urban environment. After months of planning and six weeks of creative work, the Oriental Bay Seascape Mural was official unveiled on Friday 25 June.
The public art project was dreamed up by Eric Holowacz, Community Arts Co-ordinator at Wellington City Council, whose office is a few blocks away from the site. After walking past the non-descript wall dozens of times, Holowacz began thinking of possible creative improvements.
"Wellington's harbour is such an inspiring sight, and anyone who has been diving in local waters knows about the wonders of our marine habitats," said Holowacz. Following a particularly adventurous weekend excursion with Miramar diving legend Rob Marshall, Holowacz hit on the idea of a giant underwater vista populated with crayfish, kelp forests, fishes, rock formations and all of the things he had just discovered below the surface. "Rob and a spare wetsuit made that mysterious world more familiar to me, where dusky dolphins jump and swarm in circles, where paua cling to tide-beaten rocks, where birds glide overhead and kahawai feed below."
Walking back to work the next Monday, the community arts co-ordinator pondered a few questions. How could we get artists to render those habitats and all their mystery, magic, and wonders? How could we turn an old, crumbling wall into a work of creative, educational art?
The answers came when he proposed the idea for an "Art-quarium" to some staff of the Department of Conservation's Wellington Conservancy, who agreed to fund the mural and guide the scientific research behind it. Expanding on the standard mural format, Holowacz engineered a way to have a primary artist paint the overall wall mural and then commission a group of illustrators to design marine life on plywood cut-outs. He drafted a call for proposals and participation guidelines, formalised the partnership with DOC, and the Oriental Bay Seascape Mural was ready to take the plunge.
Wellington artist Ellen Coup had her design selected in April as the primary wall mural. Over the past six weeks, she has been painting the underwater scene, and transforming a dull urban block of concrete into a swirling, salty, magical view of our native waters. While the lead artist was on-site creating crashing waves and rocky beaches, four others were busy researching and illustrating marine life. Manuela Adreani, an Italian artist currently residing in Wellington, took birds as her subject. Amy Brenan, a recent design and illustration graduate of Massey University, decided to paint invertebrates. Mica Still, a transplanted American painter who is also a tutor at Vincent's Art Workshop, decided to learn about and depict local fishes. And Ben Walden, a Kiwi who has created large-scale murals in Auckland and Northern Ireland, took on the task of painting the large marine mammals. These artists initially worked with local marine scientists from NIWA, Te Papa and DOC, who helped them research and select their marine life subjects. The results were carefully illustrated on sign-grade plywood, and recently attached to the finished wall to complete the mural process.
"It's so real you almost want to hold your breath and go for a swim," said Maureen Hickey, who walked over from the nearby playground to watch as the final pair of birds were bolted in palce. "I like the dolphins and the whales," said three-year old daughter Eva, pretending to swim alongside the life-sized orca. Over the past few weeks, everyone who has encountered the mural has ended up mesmerised by the artwork.
“It’s been really rewarding to do such a public piece of art. Pedestrians, joggers, beach-goers, cyclists, young and old have shown interest and enthusiasm in the mural in progress. It has come together really quickly, with the bolt-on illustrations installed just recently. The entire wall looks fabulous. It’s a great way to add a little bit more to what is already a fantastic location. I’ve really enjoyed this project,” Ms Coup said.
DOC Community Relations Programme Manager Dairne Poole said the completion of the mural was a milestone in DOC’s aim to increase public awareness of marine environmental issues. With the addition of informative signs about the creatures on display, the mural would be an excellent educational tool.
“We really hope that schools take the opportunity to use it as a teaching resource. The ability to change the creatures on the wall over time also presents the opportunity to address any special issues facing the harbour that might arise, so it can change over time,” she says. And, in a way, that community involvement aspect has already become evident.
"As we were installing the whales, dolphins, penguins and a sly looking gurnard, small children were smiling and with delight, and inspecting every inch of the mural scenes" said Holowacz. "Joggers would turn, slowing their pace, then shout out quick praise to the painters. Tourists were snapping photos on each end of the wall, no doubt hoping to take a piece of Wellington, and our glorious harbour, home with them."
Holowacz noted that this project was also driven by incredible community spirit. Benchmark Building Supplies in Newtown, and it's plywood agent International Panel and Lumber, donated all the wood required. Resene and Ramset willingly gave their products. And, last but not least, Patrick King, owner of Cut to Size, donated hours of his time to professionally prepare and cut each and every one of the mural elements.
"When we needed something, all of these businesses responded" said Holowacz, "Because that's the kind of place Wellington is. They helped us give our city a colourful new scene, not to market their brands or get something commercial out of it, but because they genuinely care about community--and because they hope to see more smiles, and more delight in it."
For details on the Oriental Bay Seascape Mural, and other community arts projects in Wellington, contact Eric Holowacz on 385-1929 or arts@wcc.govt.nz. To learn more about DOC and the upcoming Conservation Week programmes in August 2004, contact Dairne Poole on 470-8433.