Invite to paint the town

If you have ever had an urge to adorn a public building with your own colourful signature design, come late April you may just get a legitimate opportunity.

Mangawhai Art Society are inviting members of the community to make an iconic statement about their town by helping to decorate the Moir Street Art Gallery, in the form of ‘mini-rays’.

Based around the Maori translation for Mangawhai – ‘manga’ meaning branch of a river or watercourse and ‘whai’ meaning stingray – the idea is to first create two giant plywood stingrays, which will be fastened to the outer walls of the gallery.

The smaller stingray cut-outs, once individually painted and designed, will then be attached within the large rays, to create a three-dimensional creation, says Project Stingray coordinator, Rosina Kamphuis.

“Each individual piece of work will become a part of an iconic statement illustrating what Magical Mangawhai means to each of us,” she says.

Artists and organisers, Brenda Adams, Jeanette Vickers and Kamphuis will facilitate the free painting weekend, which will take place over two days, Saturday April 29 and Sunday April 30 at the Mangawhai Artists Gallery.

Generous funding from Resene and Kaipara District Creative Communities NZ has made the project possible Kamphuis says, enabling the art group to buy wood and other construction materials.

“Kids and families, artists and local business people… come join us to put your stamp on the stingray art project. Imagine what we could create together! No experience needed, just your passion to celebrate the way you identify with Mangawhai!”

n For more information, please email Project Stingray coordinator, Rosina Kamphuis rosina@rosinakamphuis.com.