Innovative 'rain art' storms Wairarapa

MEAN IT: Sandy Ryan, manager at Connecting Communities Wairarapa and Councillor Jonathan Hooker with an "I love Masterton" stencil they have sprayed on the footpath by the town hall. PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA

Connecting Communities Wairarapa painted the town in a see-through varnish on Sunday leaving surprise art works that would be revealed on the next rainy day.

Manager Sandy Ryan said she had seen a YouTube video of a man doing "rain art" in Seattle so decided to bring the craft to the streets of Masterton.

Mrs Ryan designed and then made 13 large stencils that had different phrases relating to rainy days, like "jump in puddles" and "I love falling asleep to the rain".

When the stencils, which range from around two to five metres long, are sprayed with a waterproof super hydrophobic sealer, the sprayed area will go on to deflect water.

"So when it rains you will be able to see the artwork. I think we're the first to do it here in New Zealand, no one else seems to know about it," said Mrs Ryan.

She said she was inspired to make the stencils and use them to decorate Masterton "to make the place interesting and put a smile on people's faces".

Library staff, members from Wairarapa Youth Council and some Masterton District councillors were a handful of the community who turned out to see Mrs Ryan do a spraying demonstration, before they each headed out with their designated stencil and spray can, and a list of locations to plant the words around the town.

"It's an activity to enhance people's pride in the place and people's well-being. Rainy days can be a bit miserable."

Mrs Ryan said it was also an opportunity to celebrate Maori Language Week, with some of the stencils being Maori words and messages.

"I [heart] Whakaoriori" will be at the Chapel St entrance of the Masterton District Council.

Mrs Ryan said the stencils cost around $1500 and were "really robust" so should last for a long time and see many uses.

The varnish would last around six months on high foot traffic areas and two years on sidewalks less trodden.

The pavement outside Masterton Town Hall will have the words "I [heart] Masterton" and there will be raindrop shapes outside the entrance to the CLM indoor pool.

"Come in from the rain" will be outside the Community Centre, Masterton District Library and King St Art, and "life is about dancing in the rain" will be outside Wairarapa Hospital and Lansdowne Park.