The Murals of Kylie Gunn

Kylie Gunn has been adding life and colour to the walls of Thames for the last 5 years, with 13 murals painted in the Coromandel Peninsula and 1 in Ngatea. Kylie’s works often tell stories, and they brighten what would otherwise be dull walls. Her murals often include native birds, which are used beautifully to tell the stories.

She has a great sense of colour and scale, some of which she learned from her father, who was a painter/builder. Kylie originally painted using oils before starting to paint murals in 2021.

Kylie has lived in Thames since 2002, and painted her first mural, which is located by the Thames Civic Centre, in 2021 as part of the Create the Vibe. She recalls how the council sent her on a traffic management course so that she could paint right next to the road, which was the site of her first work.

The Outdoor Bookcase

The Outdoor Bookcase transforms a piece of TCDC infrastructure into a magical bookcase with touches of Steampunk. located on the corner of Queen Street and Richmond Street, this mural covers the whole of the structure.

Thames Formation and Prehistory

Located in Mary Street next to the Thames Civic Centre, this mural was Kylie’s first mural, and it is still her favourite. This artwork includes many aspects of Te Kauaeranga Thames history, such as the iconic Burke Street Wharf and the foundry’s building lighthouses.

The inclusion of the Tui representing the peoples of the Coromandel Peninsular and the Karearea (New Zealand Falcon) representing the faster flying visitor (overseas tourists).

Donkins Garage

This Walter Street mural is loosely based on the original garage that was here; this mural beautifully depicts Thames in the 1930s, serving as a reminder of how things were. The two barefoot young boys help to tell the story of a simpler age in a relatable way.

When nature calls …

Located on the Kauaeranga Valley Road just past the swimming hole, this mural with a cheeky name really feels like summer in Te Kauaeranga Thames. This mural features a wide collection of native birds of Aotearoa, including the Kiwi, Tui, Kererū (New Zealand Wood Pigeon),

Suffragette mural – Thames Museum Te Whare Taonga o te Kauaeranga

This mural depicts the Suffragette movement in New Zealand. 1893 was a proud moment in the history of Aotearoa, when New Zealand became the first self-governing country to grant the vote to all women over 21. This mural can be viewed in the garden of Thames Museum Te Whare Taonga o te Kauaeranga

Grahamstown derelict building

Kylie painted these derelict buildings over a period of 6 weeks, going down and painting about every 2nd day. The fact that the area she was painting was sheltered allowed her to paint rain or shine and put in long days to complete the work. Her artwork on these old, run-down buildings has transformed the area from an eyesore to a thing of beauty. This works particularly well with the Saturday Thames market, giving the stallholders a wonderful background to display their wares.

Some of the buildings are based on information that locals passed on about what shops were originally there.

The struggle for peace to breakthru man’s framing of god

Painted on the service lane in Mary Street on the wall of the Thames Baptist church, this mural tells its own story.

Mining Echoes & 10 Coins

These are two joined murals at 309 Mary Street, Thames, the 1st, Mining Echoes, tells the story of Thames foundation as a mining town. The 2nd 10 Coins draws inspiration from 10 coins, and tells a story of cultures colliding like waves on a shore.

Sir Keith Park

This giant mural of Sir Keith Park is located at Sir Keith Park Memorial Airfield on the left-hand side of the Ngati Maru Highway as you head into Thames from the north. This work, which is floodlit at night, is on the wall of the hangar and really stands out.

This mural is part of the Sir Keith Park project, which aims to honour the achievements of Sir Keith a Thames hero who helped win the Battle of Britain. Kylie has generously donated her time to painting this mural to the project.

To find out more about the project, go here sirkeithparkmemorial.org.nz

Kylie describes this massive mural as fantastic fun; she cut the structure for the mural out of marine ply. She managed to complete the work in her shed in 5 days. She is a great fan of the whole Sir Keith Park project.

Leftbank Theatre

Kylie was commissioned to paint two murals on the walls of Leftbank Theatre, in Pollen Street, Thames. This colourful piece matches well with the flavour of this 26-seat mini theatre.

Ngatea – The Gallery

This mural is on the main street of Ngatea and is painted on the wall of “The Gallery” Art & Craft Collective. There is a small park next to The Gallery, which makes for easy viewing of this stunning mural. The giant bubble bees and butterflies give this artwork a bit of an Alice and Wonderland feel.

Thames Coast Community Kindergarten – Te Puru

Painted on the back wall of the Thames Coast Community Kindergarten on the walkway between Te Puru hall and Te Puru reserve. This mural depicts Kōtare (Sacred kingfisher), Kererū (New Zealand Wood Pigeon), Tara iti (New Zealand Fairy Tern) and Tui.