Our students have recently had the opportunity to work alongside amazing local artist Regan Balzer as she creates the 3rd mural in Pukekohe township on the Library wall.
Regan said of the mural – “I would like to stay close to the original design of a Kumete – The Foodbowl (to represent historically how the area had fertile soil, waterways teaming with kaimoana and plentiful foods of the area). This idea also aligns to the Library and ‘Te Kai a te Rangatira’ The food of chief is korero (information, discussion & narratives). I hope to encourage the public to consider natural foods and working with local resources as a way of health and wellbeing. There will also feature some play aspects and reference to growing healthy tamariki.”
Our students joined in the painting with Regan last Friday using drawings sent in from our community. The idea from Regan to have our kids be included in the mural was to paint “child like” self-portraits behind the hedge, so when you look through the hedge you have these little drawings looking back at you. This mural honours the children in the unmarked graves, children in the gardens and also our children of the future.
We would like to acknowledge and thank the students at Pukekohe North School who drew some self-portraits for our students to include in the mural.
Our very own Art teacher Cat Tamihere is the creative behind the amazing murals that are now beautifying our town. Keep an eye out in the future as Cat mentioned that the producer of House Hunters International wishes to film the murals for an episode about a family who have moved from Michigan to Pukekohe.
Cat said during the painting process “The kindness of Pukekohe has been next level. Most nights we work till midnight. A gentleman brought us a hot chicken and buns, we get snacks and high fives. How cool is our community! We are slowing working towards our goal of making “Pukekohe, the most Aroha town in Aotearoa”
