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.

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.

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