Artists ‘go big’ with Kiwiana Christmas at the library

Surfie Santa is pictured with artists Lateesha Lerm and Merle Walker (seated) in the colourful Kiwiana Christmas installation at HB Williams Memorial Library. Picture by Liam Clayton

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

But instead of a traditional Northern Hemisphere scene featuring fake snow and Santa’s sleigh, think the usually big man in red  in a Christmas-themed matching shirt and shorts, sitting beside a paddling pool framed by fake palm trees in pink and blue.

Add a Highway 35 road sign, a teddy bear in pyjamas sitting on a deck chair and colourful inflatable sea creatures and you’ve got the Kiwiana-themed Christmas scene created by Merle Walker at the HB Williams Memorial Library.

“We’ve been getting lots of great feedback. It’s quite a novel idea having an installation like this up for two weeks,” Merle says.

“When I was approached to create the scene I decided to go big.”

It took Merle, fellow artist Lateesha Lerm and a crew of helpers around 10 days to set up it up.

As well as the Kiwiana-themed installation, there’s also an opportunity to get a professional photo taken with Santa, thanks to Rāngai Studios.

Other activities include face painting, bracelet weaving, DIY craft workshops on how to make a mobile or a table centrepiece or decorations. Hanakoko Santa is on site next week too.

Smokefree Rockquest solo/duo category national winner Salam Randall will perform alongisde fellow musician and songwriter Natasha Olsen, and expect the visit of another celebrity guest artist yet to be announced.

■ For a full list of what’s on at the library, go to www.gpl.govt.nz/whats-on/kiwiana-christmas-events