The 1980s was a lively, vibrant period for the arts in Whangarei with a very active Arts Council under Elizabeth Vaneveld. The exuberance in the murals was inspired by remarkable live theatre in Whangarei at the time, particularly that directed by Neil Cameron and John Bolton. By the summer that Cathryn painted her mural she felt the arts' vitality was beginning to fade and she wanted to recall it in her work.

Other influences and concerns also backgrounded her subject matter; her general interest in the theatre, also poetry ( see J. K. Baxter's High Country Weather on scroll in mural) and an interest in the historic event of public entertainment. The role of the wonderful (then) new Capitain Bouganville Theatre interested Cathryn in terms of public access and relevance to the community of such a resource.

Cathryn had just returned from travelling for a year and was about to begin her third year at Elam School of Art, Auckland University when she painted the mural. The project basically came about as Cathryn needed a summer job at the time. She approached Council with the idea, presented concept sketches to two Council members, a fee was decided on and painting began. Creating a mural is a public experience and an artist doesn't have to wait long to get reviews. Along with the many supportive comments Cathryn was almost daily harangued by an old woman who resented her use of the colour purple. "It's not a colour found in nature!" Cathryn mentioned the violet. "That's not purple; it's blue, blue!" the old woman insisted.

Cathryn majored in sculpture and has since pursued a career as a sculptor and installation artist. While she feels the murals don't accurately represent her work, they are prominent and well liked, perhaps even for some people their 'most viewed' art. So it is only natural that they've made an impression in our city.

Cathryn Monro --Biography
Cathryn Monro has been working as a practising artist since obtaining her BFA from Elam School of Fine Arts in 1989. Since then she has continued to exhibit her work regularly in groups and solo shows. Setting up her own studio foundry allowed her to explore in bronze the themes of corporeality, self, being and experience, predominant in her work. While teaching at Elam for four years Cathryn completed her MFA working in installation and utilizing a range of materials and media. Cathryn has recently returned from a trip overseas and is currently working on several large scale outdoor private commissions and a public commission for the Auckland City Council.

Text by Desmond Ford

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