Emma Edworthy had a ball at the Rotorua District Library yesterday.
She was showcasing her body-painting skills on model Tamara Clarry at the city library's open day - the first time the library was open on a Sunday since the 1920s.
Mrs Edworthy spent three hours transforming Miss Clarry into a colourful cat. "It's been great fun and we have had some great feedback," she said.
"It is great that the library promotes local artists and this is a way of showing that."
Rotorua District Library manager Jane Gilbert said the library wasn't normally open on Sundays because of government funding restrictions. Yesterday's open day was a one-off event aimed at raising the library's profile.
The open day was held from 10am to 4pm with a "big surprise" just after 1pm - a flash mob of dancers and singers that Mrs Gilbert said was "great fun".
Other activities one normally wouldn't expect at a library included tours, artists, film archive previews and karaoke.
Mrs Gilbert said the day was a success with a steady flow of people.
"It has been fabulous. We have had some very good feedback from people."
Rotorua's Grace Hayes, 9, and Rosa Hingston, 3, were at the library with their Mum Nadia Christensen.
Grace said she usually visited the library twice a week.
"We come and have a look at books and we get some DVDs and jigsaws," she said. "It has been lots of fun to come in on a Sunday."
Grace said her favourite thing about the open day was getting a henna tattoo. "It's pretty and it will last about a week," she said.
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