Mural magic brightens bus terminal

Artist Freeman White at work on the Art Deco murals that will greet visitors arriving in the city. Photo / Paul Taylor

Napier's Clive Square bus terminal is being transformed into a colourful Art Deco welcome as renowned painter Freeman White works his mural magic on it.

Despite having started on the first of the three walls to be decorated only last Saturday, Mr White has already had people walk by and give him the thumbs up.

"I've had lots of positive comments, which is good," he said.

Mr White was one of several artists approached by the Napier City Council to offer design plans for the building, and his sketches were accepted by the council at a meeting in mid-December.

"I'm a huge fan of heritage architecture and Art Deco, so I wanted to incorporate some elements of Napier's history."

The first part features a woman, appropriately dressed in the fashion of the era, dancing in front of the steps of the Art Deco British Tobacco building in Ahuriri.

"I've altered it a bit to include the Maori greeting Haere Mai."

While better known for his exhibition paintings, he is no stranger to murals, although this is the first he has embarked on in Napier.

"I did some bus stops for the Wellington City Council," he said.

Born in the Bay, he spent about 14 years away overseas and in the capital before arriving to live in Napier about five years ago.

His CV is impressive.

A Learning Connexion Honours student, who went on to teach at the Wellington Art Institute, he won the Adam Portraiture Award in 2006 and has been on several international artists' residencies.

More recently he has worked on The Hobbit movies and hit Kiwi comedy What We Do in the Shadows.

He has also helped raise about $16,000 through his paintings for charities and fundraisers such as the Hawke's Bay Charity Fine Wine and Art Auction and the U-Turn Trust charitable auction.

With a smile, he said it was not his first Hawke's Bay mural. "I did one at the Haumoana fish and chip shop about five years ago and it's still there."

He said the current project was the most significant public artwork commission he had embarked on and he is targeting having it all wrapped up by the start of the Tremains Art Deco Weekend, which kicks off on February 18.

While the weather was fine for painting outdoors, it did have its drawbacks for mural painting. "It gets very hot here and it dries the brushes and paint out pretty quick. So I start early and come back in the evening," he said.