While the canvas was large, Georgia Hill was not short of inspiration and ideas.
The Australian illustrator and artist spent yesterday painting a mural on one of the outside concrete walls of restaurant Terrace Kitchen, at the lake end of Tutanekai St.
Ms Hill, 28, is an internationally recognised artist,having painted at festivals and on walls from Berlin to Bali.
While she usually worked with headphones on, Ms Hill said the Rotorua community had been supportive.
"They've been excited and walking past and giving the thumbs up."
The opportunity to do the 23m mural came about through Terrace Kitchen managing director Jo Romanes and her 26-year-old son Ryan, a designer who did the branding for the restaurant.
Australian illustrator artist Georgia Hill is painting a mural on a wall of Terrace Kitchen. Photo/Ben Fraser
Mrs Romanes said it was always part of the plan to have a mural done on the wall.
"It's wonderful [to have Georgia here]. We're thrilled as we've followed [her work] for a long time. The fit is perfect for our aesthetic, it's great she was in New Zealand for a few days.
"The piece reflects the natural geothermal elements of Rotorua, along with the idea of cycles, people and coming together."
Ms Hill had been in Napier working at the international global street art project Sea Walls: Murals for Oceans, and had some spare time before heading back to Sydney next week.
Regarding the brief for the work, Ms Hill said it was a perfect fit with her style.
"It effortlessly came together."
Texture, layers of visuals and little details are important features of Ms Hill's work.
She said she enjoyed exploring connections and cycles in her work, with people drawing their own meaning from the work.
"I wanted it to be about Rotorua, the natural environment, I'm into rocks so this is the perfect place ... [the wall] is on a scale I can manage [by myself] and be detailed. I want people who see it every day to connect with it."
One of Ms Hill's signature visuals is using words or phrases, but in this case "it wasn't quite right".
The mural, made using regular house paint, will be finished today.
