A muralist with marks across Hamilton has extended himself northwards with a new work adorning a beloved Huntly rugby club grounds.
Bruce McLachlan, a well-known Hamilton muralist located on Norton Road in Kirikiriroa, took up the challenge of creating a meaningful mural for Huntly’s Davies Park.
McLachlan has been painting for a long time. It’s in recent years that he’s begun to gain attention for his public murals.
Hamilton’s BOON Festival has seen his artwork hit the streets of the town, both in the city centre and in the suburbs.
The call came from Huntly: now do us! A desire for a blank wall outside Davies Club to be decorated resulted in McLachlan’s first mural in Raahui Pookeka.
In McLachlan’s mind, there’s no better medium than a big ol’ wall for artists from small towns like Huntly.
“Small towns have some awesome artists, which will likely never be seen unless they graffiti,” he said.
He’s not talking about tagging trains–although it’s how many muralists get started. In small towns, it’s not as simple as heading to the local prestigious art school before opening a successful gallery.
That’s why budding artists must turn their attention to the blank spaces around them, McLachlan said–there are canvases everywhere for those with eyes to see.
“[Murals in a small town] are no different in their idea from a big city, because these big city graffiti artists come from a background like Huntly,” he said.
“So there’s a piece of them from that little town [in their art], and that’s what makes it so good.
“And then you get people who have gone to the finest art schools, they go to the best universities and all that stuff, and have money behind them–they’re no better than a guy that’s done no school.”
McLachlan’s mural at Davies park pictures four esteemed athletes who have come out of Huntly. One face stands out as the first female rugby player to be included in a Huntly mural.
“I’ve never had someone paint me before,” said Huntly born and bred Warriors star Mya Hill-Moana, whose face is depicted second from the left in the mural.
“There are so many people that could have been chosen to be in that mural. I was lucky.”
Hill-Moana grew up in Huntly on netball and rugby. Now just 23 years old, she’s busy not only playing for the Warriors, but also raising a baby.
She said the mural filled her with hope and pride to see.
“I hope girls will see this and think, ‘if she can do it, and she’s from Huntly, then I can do it too.”
In terms of sports and arts making such an iconic collaboration, Hill-Moana hopes to see more of it.
“I love it. I think we need more of it to recognise all the amazing athletes from Huntly.”
by Sarah Morcom
