Colourful renditions of Kowhai and Heron, Kingfisher and flax adorn the sides of telephone circuit cabinets in Kaiapoi and Woodend.
Woodend artist Angela Doig has been working on the second of two cabinets she is painting as part of the Chorus Cabinet Art Programme.
Chorus called for submissions from artists, professional or amateur, to colour over 11,000 telecommunications cabinets across New Zealand.
They were looking for budding artists to showcase their skills and bring some colour to their neighbourhoods.
Mrs Doig says she applied for three of the four positions under offer in the Waimakariri District and got two cabinets to paint.
‘‘It takes a couple of days to paint each
one. ‘‘I put Kowhai and Heron on the one in Kaiapoi, and this one in Woodend will have Kingfisher and flax on it.’’ She says it has been hard work at times as the recent weather hasn’t played ball.
‘‘It was hot work under the sun and the high temperatures we had a couple of weeks ago and now it’s been raining so I just have to fit it in when I can.’’ The well known marathon runner says her passion for painting is a part time hobby she fits in between training and looking after her newborn son.
The Chorus cabinet art initiative began in 2010 with a test pilot in Auckland as a way to reduce the amount of vandalism to their telecommunications cabinets.
It proved so successful they have extended it throughout the country and now complete on average 100 murals a year.
