ART BY LUCIA - JOURNAL

From Mountain to Sea: Painting Te Ao Māori into a School Court Mural

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 02:56:34 GMT

This interactive school mural in Auckland was seven years in the making before I became involved. The original vision, developed by the principal and parents of Flanshaw Road School, was to transform the school's courts into an artwork representing Te Ao Māori and create an interactive space for students to enjoy.
The school had already raised funds and commissioned an initial design, but the project was eventually put on hold when they struggled to find an artist with the skills and capacity to translate the detailed concept onto such a large surface.
Earlier this year, I connected with the school and began working collaboratively with students and staff on a series of murals. After getting to know the school community and seeing the original court design, the principal asked me to rework the concept into something more playful, engaging and interactive for the children, while retaining the original connection to Te Ao Māori.
My talented intern, Kayla, took on the challenge of developing the new design. She introduced simple but effective interactive elements that encouraged students to engage with the artwork, while keeping the underlying concept and cultural framework of the original design.
Together, we painted the entire court surface in less than two weeks. Working through Auckland's unpredictable winter weather brought its own challenges, with rain and cold temperatures extending drying times between layers and the practical difficulty of painting an artwork that we would eventually need to walk across.
Despite these challenges, determination and careful planning allowed us to complete the project in time for the students to enjoy during the final weeks of Term 3.
The finished Te Ao Māori-inspired court mural transformed an ordinary school court into a colourful, interactive space designed specifically for the students who use it every day. It is also an example of how collaborative school murals can combine student engagement, cultural storytelling and functional spaces to create artwork with a lasting impact on a school community.

kiwirail project - swanson

Thu, 28 May 2026 08:20:49 GMT

Public Art Commission for KiwiRail, Swanson
I was commissioned by KiwiRail to design and execute a large-scale mural at their railway facility in Swanson. The artwork celebrates the site’s natural surroundings by incorporating local scenery, native flora, and fauna, creating a harmonious connection between the industrial environment and the vibrant ecosystem beyond.
The mural features several iconic local bird species, reflecting the rich birdlife that accompanied the project daily with their morning chorus from the adjacent greenery. This integration of native elements not only honours the unique character of the Swanson area but also transforms an everyday industrial space into a more inviting and visually engaging environment.
Public art of this nature plays a vital role in uplifting communities and enhancing built environments. By bringing colour, life, and narrative to functional spaces, such murals reduce visual monotony, foster a stronger sense of place, and encourage greater appreciation for local biodiversity. They humanise infrastructure, improve the aesthetic quality of the site for both workers and passers-by, and contribute to a more positive, vibrant atmosphere that supports wellbeing and community pride.
The creative process involved extensive mark-making, allowing expressive textures and organic layers that contrast beautifully with the clean, precise lines of the finished composition. This dynamic interplay between spontaneity and refinement added depth and visual interest to the final piece.
(Note: The project did present some practical challenges, such as the need to dry condensation from the metal surfaces each morning before painting could commence, highlighting the realities of working on outdoor industrial structures.)
This commission stands as a testament to the power of site-specific art to beautify, inspire, and strengthen the relationship between people, place, and nature.

My First Mural Project 2026: Behind the Scenes with Lucia Laubscher

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 07:16:21 GMT

Ocean Mural on Tamaki Drive: My Chill Turtle & Sea Creatures – Lucia Laubscher

As 2025 drew to a close, I found myself diving into another exciting KiwiRail project—this time on a much smaller, more intimate scale compared to the massive 160-metre railway corridor wall I painted back in April. The canvas? A humble stop box along Tamaki Drive in Parnell, Auckland, right beside the sparkling ocean. It felt like the perfect spot for my underwater creature designs—the location’s breezy sea vibes and salty air made everything click into place.I’d sketched that chill turtle ages ago, dreaming of the day it would swim onto a real outdoor surface in a piece of public art. So when this opportunity came along, I was beyond thrilled—finally, my favourite sea turtle was getting its moment in the sun (and salt spray!). I kept the ocean theme close to my heart, adding a bold tribal-patterned octopus, a graceful jellyfish, a majestic manta ray, playful starfish and seahorses, then tying it all together with swirling bubbles and gentle waves.The whole Auckland mural came together in just about three sunny days. I was incredibly lucky with the weather—bright skies and just enough shade from the big tree overhead to keep the summer heat at bay while I worked. Every brushstroke felt joyful, like the ocean itself was cheering me on.I loved every minute of bringing this ocean themed mural to life, and it’s left me buzzing with ideas. Here’s to more sea-inspired public art pieces and underwater creature murals in 2026—watch this space!

Sparking Creativity Together: My Student Collaboration Mural at Glenfield Intermediate, Auckland

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 04:11:52 GMT

From Student Ideas to Wall Art: My Collaborative Mural Journey at Glenfield Intermediate School

Late last year, I had the absolute pleasure of spending an hour or two with a group of wonderfully creative students from Glenfield Intermediate School in Auckland. We gathered to brainstorm and dream up the best ways to bring the school’s core values—the Four R's: Responsibility, Resilience, Respect, and Relationships—to life on a wall.The kids dove right in, pencils flying as they sketched out their ideas, capturing what those values meant to them in bright, imaginative ways. It was inspiring to watch their energy and see how thoughtfully they translated big ideas into drawings. After collecting all their brilliant concepts, I collated them into a few different design options. Then the Principal and staff stepped in, thoughtfully selecting the strongest elements from each one and asking me to blend them with the school’s unique aesthetics, culture, and a touch of native patterned designs that felt right for the space. In the end, a vibrant, slightly abstract, and beautifully patterned values-inspired mural emerged, with the school logo proudly taking centre stage.We painted it directly onto a brick wall of one of the school buildings, overlooking the netball fields. The result? A splash of colour and positivity that instantly brightens the whole area and reminds everyone who passes by of what the school stands for.I completed the entire Glenfield Intermediate mural over three joyful days, mostly using spray paint to achieve those bold, flowing patterns. Every session felt special—knowing the artwork was born from real student ideas made the process even more meaningful.I love these collaborative school mural projects because they turn young voices into something lasting and uplifting. Here’s to more student collaboration art adventures in the future!

My Latest Custom Wall Mural Project in Auckland: Inspiration and Process

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 06:44:42 GMT

The summer season started off with painting one of my favorite artworks of the year - a lovely poolside mural in Mount Eden - for some of my favorite clients of the year! Suzanne and Rob were truly lovely and entrusted me with splashing a colourful scene on their garden wall. This artwork included many of the clients' favorite New Zealand birds, plants and beaches. Suzanne and Rob wanted a bright and busy artwork to add colour to their otherwise neutral outdoor space. With the wild West Coast beaches of Auckland being their favorite spots, I included two particularly recognizable scenes on the background, and scattered native flowers and plants across the scene, with a majestic Pohutukawa tree standing proud in one corner.

Suzanne requested a nod to her Maori heritage to be included in the wall art, and with a bright Maori sun and some tribal patterns scattered into the overall design, the mural is brought to life with a mix of realism and abstract. Ready for your own custom mural? Get in touch

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