The writing is on the wall for an Alexandra school — which can look forward to a one-of-a-kind artwork adorning one of its walls.
Last week, Alexandra Primary School pupils and staff have watched as Auckland-based contemporary artist Hayley King — who goes by the pseudonym ‘‘Flox’’ — has created a larger-than-life mural at their school.
Flox started work on the mural last Monday, and said she had plenty of attentive spectators during the week.
‘‘It’s lovely to be here and the kids have just been awesome,’’ she said.
Groups of children had been watching her throughout the school day — this had not fazed her.
‘‘I think I’m used to having people watch — mural painting is public painting,’’ she said.
The school commissioned her with a brief of local flora and fauna, which she then used as a foundation for her research and design process.
The mural includes the kārearea, Otago skink and local stonefruit.
‘‘I just like to draw from local geography, history and cultural references.’’
Colour was vital for a mural at a school.
‘‘I’m going to make it nice, bright and beautiful for these kids.’’
She also painted the arrival mural in Scotland St, Roxburgh, which exhibited her iconic stencil-style of work which was also used for the school mural.
While the stencil look had become a central part of her aesthetic, her process had developed with her use of technology, she said.
‘‘I love finding new ways that I can infuse this technology into . . .a handpainted hands-on process.
‘‘I still value my hands and that tactile approach.
The mural was expected to be finished by the end of last week.
