A striking new mural of a white dove is turning heads outside a Mount Maunganui church, offering a message of peace and hope to everyone who passes by.

Painted by Australian artist Sidney Tapia over several days, it graces Curate Church’s Newton St wall after what began as a simple catch-up between friends.

Tapia and Curate Church pastors Nick and Sarah Khiroya first met more than 20 years ago at a youth service in Sydney.

When Tapia recently travelled to Auckland for work, he called Nick, who invited him to Mount Maunganui.

A gift

“I said to Nick, ‘If you’ve got some wall space, I’d love to paint something’,” Tapia said. “I wanted to give a gift.”

The mural was completed voluntarily, with Tapia donating his time and talent. The church provided accommodation and meals while he worked from sunrise until well after dark each day.

The dove mural at Curate Church in Mount Maunganui. Photo / Supplied

Choosing the image took longer than painting it.

“We went backwards and forwards with lots of ideas,” Khiroya said. “It almost came down to the last day before we settled on the dove.”

For the church, the dove carries deep meaning.

“It represents peace, truth and the Holy Spirit,” Khiroya said. “Our heart is that if people drive past on Newton St they’ll appreciate the beauty of the artwork, but if they know the Bible they’ll also be reminded that the peace of God can be with them in everyday life.”

The timing had made the mural especially poignant for the Mount Maunganui community following the fatal landslide on Mauao in January.

“After what we’ve experienced this year, it feels like perfect timing,” Khiroya said. “It’s about bringing restored hope, peace and light.”

Resonated

Tapia said the dove’s symbolism resonated with him immediately.

“It’s peaceful, it’s graceful, but there’s also a sense of majesty and awe about it,” he said. “I wanted it to be something beautiful that people could stop and reflect on.”

Throughout the week he photographed the mural’s progress, with one image capturing clouds appearing to extend the dove’s wings.

“I had to do a double take,” he said. “It looked like the sky had become part of the painting.”

A cloud appeared while Sidney Tapia was painting the dove mural at Curate Church. Photo / Supplied

For Tapia, the mural was an expression of gratitude rather than a commission.

“When I paint, it’s an outpouring of thanksgiving,” he said. “I look at the gifts I’ve been given in life, and this is one way I can give something back.”

The project also became unexpectedly personal.

While Tapia was in New Zealand, family circumstances back home meant his wife and two daughters flew over to join him. He said the support they received from Curate Church during that time was overwhelming.

Touched hearts

“The church has been so accommodating,” he said. “It’s really touched our hearts.”

The mural is also a visible expression of Curate Church’s creative culture.

“Creative arts and music have always been part of who we are,” Khiroya said.

Nick and Sarah have been leading Curate Church for almost two years after returning to New Zealand from Australia. Sarah was born in Tauranga and attended Ōtūmoetai College before moving to Sydney to attend Bible college, where she met Nick.

He later flew to New Zealand to propose to Sarah on Mauao 21 years ago. Although the couple returned often to visit family and friends over the years, this is the first time Nick has lived in Mount Maunganui.

“We felt strongly that God was calling us back to New Zealand,” he said. “The last two years have been amazing. We’ve loved being here.”