One of eight fence panels that makes up 'the street loves nana'. This original design is painted by Ghostie.

The sewing has been completed by a cast of many - sometimes over coffee and crumpets - captured here is its growth stitch by stitch.

Here's what Ghostie says about his Nana - Pat.

FOR PAT

My grandmother Patricia loved pansies. My Mum said Gran used to say “a pansy for your thought”. Mum could never understand what she meant by this. When I talked to her about this project and how I could honour Gran graphically we talked about using the pansy as well as this saying of hers.

It turns out that ‘pansy’ comes from the french word pensée meaning ‘thought’. That solved the mystery. The pansy is also the flower of remembrance, so it's perfect.

This project not only honours my beloved Gran who passed away too soon but solves a lifelong mystery about what she had been saying for all those years.

'the street loves nana' is an original idea conceived by designer Margaret Lewis to be a collaborative project between herself, NZ street artists and anyone wanting to give handcraft a go.

Technical Information: 

Ghostie was a nickname that was given to my 3-eyed character eight years ago by fellowDunedin street artist, Little Minx. In traditional graffiti, the letter ‘o’ is often replaced by a character, which is why I ran with the name ‘Ghøstie’.

Drawing inspiration from NZ flora and fauna, I reinterpret our natural habitat by creating complex abstracted patterns that still retain that graphic style from my character-based days.

I believe originality in one’s work is paramount as an artist. My hope is that my work will add vibrancy and contribute culturally to the areas where I paint, and that the members of these communities take ownership and pride in the murals the street loves nana.