Mero Beach is, without a doubt, one of the most popular on the west coast. For many, it has been the site of beach days, picnics with friends and family, romantic excursions and various music concerts over the years. Near the very center of the beach sits a storage container adorned with paintings of different scenes from the beach and the community itself. As part of the Mero Beach Beautification, The Waitukubuli Artist Association was called upon to give the mural an upgrade.
The WAA team consists of head artist, Jenae Bell, working alongside Edward Collins and Ray Francis as well as a plethora of volunteer artists from within the organization. Ms. Bell comments, “This is a wonderful initiative to bring more life into the community of Mero. I’m glad that WAA was called on to make the vision a reality. It’s also an incredible experience to be inspired by the very beach we get to work on.” Much like the previous mural, this one will feature depictions of the beach and Mero village, paying homage to the hard work done by the previous artists while giving the container itself a much-needed facelift and adding a bit of life to the area. Ray Francis had this to say on the project, “When word came in that the community was ready to enhance the container, I was ecstatic for our group and for the community in general. I love when art is placed at the forefront, not only for beautification but for sending out a positive message to the public.”
According to one of the members of the committee, the original painting was a labour of love by the late great Earl Etienne with the help of many kids from the village. Earl himself was one of the people singularly responsible for the creation of the WAA. In keeping with this idea, the association invites all who are interested to the beach on Saturday July 1st . This is an open invitation to artists and non-artists alike, to paint with the team and help to complete the mural. All are welcome. Ray Francis adds, “Everyone will get a chance to leave their own little artistic touch on this mural for decades to come.”
