This garage door was painted in part as a response to the international 1994 Year of the Family celebrations. Originally sited in the Children’s area of the library, it is now in the ground floor meeting room (but may be moved again).

The mural depicts two families, Māori and Pākehā, reading together. A kuia and two tamariki are reading the book “Marama Tangiweto”, by Kāterina Mataira and Terewai Kemp, with illustrations by Hōne Ihi-o-te-rangi Ngata (‘Nā Kāterina Mataira rāua ko Terewai Kemp; Nā Hōne Ihi-o-te-rangi Ngata ngā whakaahua’), and a (presumably) father and two children are reading “The Legend of the Seven Whales of Ngai Tahu Matawhaiti”, retold and illustrated by Mere Whaanga, with te reo translations by Epanaia Whaanga (‘Nā Epanaia Whaanga I Whakamaori’). The book “Imagination” by Salvador Dali is also depicted, with two tigers leaping out of it.

Shepard also made a [papier-mâché] giraffe named "Geronimo" that is fondly known as the "guardian of the librarians". While working on the roller door she found out that one of the librarians loved giraffes. "At the time I was creating these giant paper mache puppets for the Nelson Centre of Musical Arts' centennial ... so I made a giraffe to go with the mural, making it almost three-dimensional, but the librarian loved it so much it ended up in her office," Shepard said.” (Source: RNZ News)

The paint for the mural was donated by a local shop: the Nelson Colour Centre & 3D Rainbow.

See also:

• Pictures tell story of multi-million dollar council art collections | RNZ News