This mural is 22 metres long and is painted on 18 panels screwed to a suburban fence in Mount Roskill, Auckland. It is removable, like a circus tent. It is unusual in that it contains some species of small, parasitic creeper plant life and several grass species never before seen. I made them up, playing God just a wee bit. Eat your heart out Darwin...
Winter is upon us and it is impractical to drive up to Mount Roskill and chance the weather painting the mural on site. It's all designed and undercoated and on the advice of my son Eli I packed up the mural panels, most of them, and got out of Dodge and raced back to my cosy studio.
In the studio at home in Waihi there is a pot belly stove and good lighting and the weather does not matter.
The mural panels are being screwed to the wall, two or three at a time, and finished off.
I have a fortnight to finish and deliver it, screw it back in place and apply the final touch ups.
It's a tight schedule and a worthy challenge for which I hope I shall not be found wanting. Fingers crossed...
Painting the tree ferns was scary but one step at a time and they came to life, much to my relief
Tomorrow it's back to tree trunks and forest floor and all the debris and shady plants that live there and those things that every artist lives for: light and shade.
