River Day, a 17-year-old college student is bringing the Chorus box at 98 Salisbury Road, Richmond, to life as part of an art programme.
Broadband internet company Chorus are running an art programme across New Zealand to decorate their street boxes which are a little in need of having some artistic life brought to them.
“I was pretty shocked when I got the email saying I had been successful,” says River.
Judges from the Tasman District Council and Chorus picked River, along with another 6 artists out of 33 local applications, to decorate the boxes across the Tasman region.
Applications were open to professional and hobby artists of any age, but it was River and his artwork entitled ‘Beauty of Nature’ which was chosen to be applied to the Chorus cabinet on Salisbury Road.
The cabinets, on the inside, are like mini telephone exchanges. On the outside, they are a one-toned metal box.
“I don’t play games or do any sport, art is my thing,” says River.
River plans to do a Bachelor of Art at NMIT in 2022, but for now he’s letting his self-taught skills lead him down paths which incorporate images of people, weird creatures and nature.
His mum, who used to be an artist, taught him the basics when he was younger but now takes a super- proud mum role.
River’s dad is helping to purchase the necessary tools and drive him to the site. And River will take over the rest of it, from sanding down to applying the paint in his own special way.
Keep an eye open on Salisbury Road near the set of lights close to Waimea College, as River’s artwork takes on life over the next week or so.