Glenbrook Muralist painting Franklin one wall at a time

Sapeer Mayron Reporter from Franklin County News

Kia ora neighbours,

A muralist from Glenbrook has been beautifying the Franklin district one wall at a time.

This week, Brigita Botma has been bringing a touch of colour to the Waiuku Coastguard club rooms, and has plans for more community walls in the region.

Botma has been painting since she was a child, and has been seriously working as a full time artist for the last few years.

Since then, she has been commissioned to paint over a hundred murals around the Franklin area, some stretching several metres and others as small as streetside Chorus cabinets.

She said she takes her inspiration from the natural outdoors, especially native plants and birds to Aotearoa.

When Botma paints, she says it’s like she’s dreaming. The painting comes naturally now, so she can let her mind drift and meditate.

One of her favourite parts of the job is the community support and encouragement, especially when people stop by as she is painting to say hello and watch her work.

The name she paints under, Manabell, is a combination of her maiden name Bell, and the Pacific word Mana. Her mother is Samoan, and she said Mana reminds her of the pride and respect she puts into her work.

Where she paints in areas prone to vandalism, graffiti and tagging drops off, she said.

“It does deter vandals a lot. I think a lot of people who spray paint walls consider themselves artists so they wouldn’t paint over someone else’s work,” she said.