It’s easy to look at a vibrant mural, say: “Nice!” and keep walking by. But have you ever stopped and wondered about the lengths taken to create the incredible artworks?
Tauranga’s Millie Pidwell has just marked three years as a fulltime muralist, and one piece of equipment she uses in her artistic process may not be what you’d expect.
To scale up her mural designs on large exterior and interior walls, the 34-year-old uses a Virtual Reality headset.
Wearing the headset, Pidwell can see both the real world around her and digital projections of her art designs in a VR world.
“The VR headset is essentially a projector,” said Pidwell. “It’s amazing technology and then I just get my pencil and draw around shapes, and then the rest is hand-painted from sight.”
Muralist Millie Pidwell uses a Virtual Reality headset to help create her stunning murals. Photo/ Kelly O’Hara
Pidwell said she’d been creative ever since she can remember, with family members involved in all sorts of arts, from painting, poetry, singing, drama – you name it!
“I’ve been creating for my whole life, and I went to Toi Ohomai of Technology to study the Advanced Diploma in Fine Arts. That was back when I was in my early twenties, so I’ve always been an artist and always loved to paint.”
Before using VR, Pidwell used a regular projector to mark up her murals, which meant she’d have to wait until nightfall.
“[With VR] you can use it during the day and get into tricky wall areas …so that’s been a real game-changer.”
Scaling up
Cleverly combining VR technology and her talent for painting, Pidwell was able to create her largest mural to date – Tauranga Tiahuia – located at Pāpāmoa Sports and Recreation Centre, which features Tauranga-based Black Ferns Sevens player and Olympic gold medalist Sarah Hirini.
Completed in 2024, Pidwell said: “I’m proud of that mural because it pushed me to do something really large-scale, which is something I had always dreamed about doing.
“It was 90 square metres, very visible to the public … and represents someone doing incredible things for our community and for New Zealand.”
Millie Pidwell’s largest mural to date is ‘Tauranga Tiahuia’ at Pāpāmoa Sports and Recreation Centre which covers 90sq m. Photo / Supplied
Pidwell said she always does an in-depth scope of the space she’ll be working on first, to know what equipment she requires.
“Generally, if [a site] is over three metres, four metres high at most, then I’ll be using a scissor lift mostly and then otherwise it’s a stepladder and then I will always bring things like drop sheets to protect the ground.
“My husband Zane often works with me or helps me to problem-solve. He’s a builder by trade so we work as a team a lot, which is quite amazing.
Signature traits
The first mural Pidwell painted was a smaller-scale, interactive piece created 11 years ago with graphic designer Tara Fowler known as Wings to Fly. It has become an iconic photo backdrop along to The Strand in Tauranga CBD.
Since then, Pidwell slowly honed her craft and today has painted murals across many Bay of Plenty schools and businesses and brought to life public art projects.
“I love painting tui, pīwakawaka [fantail] and kereru. Often people have a bird that feels special to them, so I will also paint and specialise artwork to what feels special to someone and their space.”
You may recognise her signature piece on Tauranga’s TSB Bank, featuring bright pohutukawa and fantails mid-flight. “My work is also very vibrant with lots of very vibrant fun colours.”
Pidwell said bringing murals to life for schools was always among her favourite projects. She has painted for 13 schools and learning centres in the region. “The murals that I paint for schools are really special because it brings so much joy, sense of belonging and pride to the students, teachers and the communities of the schools.”
Millie Pidwell, aged 2, always loved art. Photo/ Supplied
Pidwell worked for creative agencies and as a gallery curator before starting her business Murals by Millie in 2023.
“I didn’t know this was going to be my fulltime job painting murals. I knew that I wanted to be a fulltime artist one day and after painting Wings to Fly I did paint another couple of murals and could see the potential.”
The future
Making magnificent murals wasn’t without battles, however.
“When you’re working outside, you’re always having to check what the weather’s doing. I don’t like working in the rain or too much wind for safety reasons.”
Rain and freshly painted murals also don’t mix well, Pidwell said. “The last mural I did, some of the rain caused some of the paint to drip off the wall and I had to start that section again.
“So that’s just a challenge that’s out of your control, and I’ve just got to get more accepting and patient with the weather.”
Millie Pidwell’s latest school mural she has been working on at Greerton Village School. Photo/ Kelly O’Hara
Her future hope is to take her murals further afield.
“I think painting a mural in a different city would be pretty exciting one day and painting bigger walls that have lots of impact.
“You get to enjoy it, and I get to challenge myself. I just want to keep painting meaningful work for communities and keep doing what I do. I just love it.”
To follow Pidwell’s work, visit: https://muralsbymillie.com/