Printed Wall Mural - Tauranga Crossing Artist Collaboration
One of the things I love most about working with Tauranga Crossing is that each project gets to build on the last. This is the first time as an artist that I've had the pleasure of building a body of work for a client.
This latest printed wall mural continues the visual language I've been developing across the site, but with a slightly different mood. While my earlier installations featured lighter earthy tones, this piece introduces rich navy, teal and deep blue hues, creating a more moody backdrop that lets the native flora and fauna really shine.
Like the rest of this series, the design is inspired by the incredible biodiversity of the Kaimai Ranges surrounding Tauranga Crossing. I wanted to celebrate the richness of the native bush through layered botanical forms, organic linework, and subtle textures pulled directly from my sketchbook mark-making process.
You'll spot a few familiar favourites alongside some new additions, including the werewere kōkako mushroom (the beautiful blue fungus featured on New Zealand's $50 note), miro, karaka, tawa, clematis (puawānanga), and tānekaha. Flying amongst the foliage are the kōkako and pīwakawaka, adding little moments of movement and life throughout the composition.
One of my favourite parts of this design was expanding the colour palette. Introducing darker background tones completely changed the feeling of the artwork. The deep blues create a stronger connection between the kōkako bird and the vibrant blue mushroom, while allowing the warmer botanical elements to really pop from the surface.
As with the rest of the Tauranga Crossing collection, this artwork is designed to strengthen the connection between the built environment and the whenua beneath it, celebrating local ecology through illustration and inviting visitors to slow down and notice the native species that call this region home. Again, I added some story telling pieces that spoke to the significance of some of the birds and botanicals.
It's been such a privilege to continue collaborating with the Tauranga Crossing team and evolve this body of work across multiple spaces throughout the centre. Seeing each installation add another chapter to the story has been incredibly rewarding.
Because this artwork is installed as a temporary mural, it also shows how flexible large-scale art can be. Printed wall murals are such an ideal solution for spaces that need to change over time. They're quick to install, can be removed or updated as needed, and still have the impact of a hand painted mural. It's a great example of how an artist collaboration can transform a commercial space without the permanence of paint and the time factor!
Printing and vinyl installation by the wizards at Rutherford Signs.
As a Tauranga mural artist, I love bringing colour and storytelling into public spaces. If you're looking for someone to add some personality to your blank wall, do get in touch!
