This mural was funded as part of an International Society for Education through Art (INSEA) Project "Murals for the Masses" led by Nayland College, with Mike Howell of Nelson Intermediate School acting as Project Officer and Geoff Heath, Head of Art Department, Nayland College the teacher in charge. Murals were painted in several Nelson sites including the Nelson Day Nursery, Nayland Kindergarten and Auckland Point Primary School.

Bailey was a sixth form (Year 12) student at Nayland College at the time.

The project was initiated by the District Art Advisor following the success of the Nelson Day Nursery mural. The Adviser approached the school principal, who offered the project to both Martin Bailey and his collaborator David Waterman. Bailey ended up taking on the project himself, developing a mural concept depicting the transition of a boy through life to adulthood.

There was initially some hesitation towards Bailey’s theme. The Principal and School Committee had expressed an interest in a mural related to the history of the area (specifically, the sailing ship ‘Auckland’), however Bailey successfully advocated for his concept, and it was approved by the school, Inspectorate, Architect and Education Board.

He spent two weeks of his own holiday time on the mural, as well as some school time.

On the topic of the impact of this initiative, Howell stated: "Private commissions and personal ideas developed as a result of all these completed works. Another student executed two large indoor murals for large commercial firms and all the boys did private jobs ranging from their own free choice to specific briefs. The general approval by the community at large stimulated the boys further and they all went on to pass Fine Arts Prelim and then went to Wellington Polytech on the Design Course.”

Source: Mike Howell, INSEA project Report “Murals for the Masses” by Nayland College, Archives NZ (R20472720)

The mural is now gone, likely painted over. It is not known when this occurred.

Thanks to Henry Buckenham, Nina King and Lucinda Brown for their assistance with the initial research into this listing.