Our Community Stall

For our well being the MAD Skool of Arts realises the importance of fresh organically grown food. With participants coming to the Skool to improve their health we needed to provide a good source of seasonal local food and organic free range eggs, live real milk, breads, honey and so forth. Golden Bay is rich in all of these.

Building on the Rototai projects while living there with Lethea  in 2009 I decided to open up a organic homegrown fruit and vegetable stall with friend Dan and his wife Naia. I had 76 various fruit tree maturing at the home and 36 across the road along the Art Walk Plus many beds of veggies and berries for a starters.Within a few months managed to have nearly forty suppliers across the Bay.

 This old garage, covered in ivy, right along side the road was left idol for years and seemed an ideal stall already built.The owner Theo was generous allowing us to use it rent free. Much appreciated. It is 30 metre from the Mural.

 

Dan and I took a few weeks preparing the shed . We needed to redo the floor, here I put my mosaic skills to play giving it some character. Felt support and inspiration from my Grandfather, Stanko, an Croatian (Yugoslave) immigrant who from bare land developed the Letica store, a vineyard, winery, orchard and veggies then a 4 Square Store for his local community. Well its in the blood, born into it.

Although Dan and I were setting up a Model perhaps for the world. At the time of society 2009-2012 there were many obstacles to step over during the initial period. The local council bureaucracy of $1800 resource consent and the $378 annual fee  along with all the petty rules and regulations (some welcomed). We had to provide a car park for at least four vehicles.

Plant and equipment  like any business, I had NO capital Dan and Naia very little.It was a big ask that we devoted ourselves to.

Dan's focus was on managing the Stall and being a website designer created a great site where people could order directly online and we offered a home delivery service - $20 single box, $30 couples and $40 for Family boxes. I mainly would source out all the food stocks, which built up to more than forty regular suppliers. Painted up my ute (truck) as shown for the deliveries.

During the peak summer tourist season we opened 7 days a week.So you can see we were very consumed into the Stall. All that visited the Stall were more than happy. It wasn't long before we needed to employ staff. We would have a rostered staff of eight on three hours shifts. Having  recognised locals helped give it the Our Community Stall image we intended from the outset.

As well as the Stall we would hold a stall at the local Saturday market in town that proved very popular.

The 2010 we were invited to have Our Community Stall at the  Luminate Festival held on top of Takaka Hill at Cannan each year.   The suppliers did well and those there,however, many brought in food from the supermarkets not knowing we were going to be there. Pre- advertising  next time.   Blue berries were a Big hit in season we would sell the two freshly picked buckets by midday each day.

to be continued...................................

National Award Community Mural

If you have seen the blogs on the Edible Art Walk and the Mosaic Tiles the primary student created along. This is where this mural is situated, at the beginning of the cycle walkway. As you'll see this plain old shed had sat there for decades and was calling out for a face lift, I heard the calling. The owner farmer Theo was pleased of my proposal.
Over several weeks fellow mural artist Chris Finlayson and I created this with 22 public folk assisting. It won the 2009 Reseene National Award for best Community Mural.. This is the result.

The Mural is a representation of the Past Present & Future of the Rototai neighbourhood. Mario, Europeans clearing the land for agriculture and future back in harmony with Nature.

The MAD Skool of Arts is all about Healing and Educating, the mural was a good practice of that by including the public teaching them to paint. Having 22 step up on stage to co create the Big Picture was a huge challenge and healed many issues.  A bold move to try painting at such a large scale openly, after a little sheet of paper, it was courageous and all stepped down proud of themselves rightfully. For most it was the first time since high school that they held a brush.

Those interested in the making of the mural I will take you briefly through the unfolding process visually, very inspiring.

 The shed had to be relined 36 sign writing  panels wrapped around both sides, the structure took some work on a off square twisted shed. I applied for grants  received three and various sponsors totally $4800 for materials materials and a little for Chris' labour.

Chris laid out the sketch we designed together with airbrush the first day we placed some base areas down making it ready for the public to paint by numbers and take ownership. Chris and I could of done it quicker and easier, but we wanted to make it a Community Mural to help give it a joint ownership protective respect. Painted by the people of Golden Bay.  Here are some of those who stepped up to handle a brush, nearly all novice leaving in awe of their contribution and having so much fun in the process, many returned to dabble some more.

 It took an effort to attract people at first onto the stage, advertising in local rag, and these signs Chris & I painted , sponsors are advertised. Once passer by say the general public up there they saw the invitation more so

Now at this stage I called Chris back in and we had fun tiding it up with the finishing touches.

I took a weeks break from the mural while Chris came in and laid out the 12 metre roadside panels.What a transformation from this rusty side sheets.
It took a lot of work for resident Walter and I to construct the frame work for the panels.
As it sits today we still need to paint the future of Rototai section which is the grey tin at far right seen here. Later this year 2012 the locals may well be open to what is planned. With sheep flying off into the etheric and angelic like beings flying off on their bicycles with Photon energy.

I gave it a rest for a couple of weeks while working on mosaics on the Art Walk this built up more interest for the side. When in town folk asked "when can we start the side mural?" In our not so creative society it was a challenge for most to step up and paint specially this size even for artist who were only accustomed to small pieces. BUT it was extremely LIBERATING for all having a play. Chris and I were happy to put a smile on so many faces who came along Rototai Road.

Now here is the unfolding of this roadside panel.

In my research for the history of Rototai from the Golden Bat museum the historian happened to be the grand daughter of the person in this photo that was taken, would you believe right opposite the mural -this shed back in 1919. So how appropriate to have the horses and buggies in the mural. This time around we shall paint the current owners Theo and Bradon in the front seat.

 Now there is another element to the Mural, a Kowhaiwhai, which is the mario boarder to be added around the mural. I approached  Tony ... the Golden Bay high school art teacher,who is a class mario artist. This is what he designed for the mural. Then over a term he arranged his students to paint the 2.4m panels 13 in all. Once I laid them out as seen here.
It was Great to have the primary and high school student involved, they are our future who will appreciate the mural over decades to come.

Well it's still work in progress, I intend getting back to finishing it off in spring, Chris is also keen to follow it through. After such a pause, the community will be excited to see it re ignited.  You can see the Kowhaiwhai here.

 This is the view motorist see as they pass Our Community Stall and it is the beginning of the 300m cycle/walkway Art Walk

If visiting Golden Bay this is a must visit. it is less than 2 kilometres from the town centre.

NgAnga