Special prints of Pike River 29 to be offered to raise appeal funds

A special edition of 500 prints from Lisa Wisse’s Pike River 29 painting is being made available to the public to help raise funds for the West Coast mining disaster appeal.

Christchurch artist Wisse paid tribute to the 29 Pike River coal miners with a painting given to the Coast last week.

Wisse gave the painting to Grey district mayor Tony Kokshoorn as a homage to the miners and those affected by the tragedy.

Grey District Council will hang publicly as a visual memorial to the tragedy so visitors to Greymouth could pay their respects.

Wisse said today she had been overwhelmed with the public response to her painting and had received a flood of requests for a copy or print of the painting.

``I’ve had people from Asia, Australia, Europe and all over New Zealand asking for a limited print copy and all have been happy to make a significant contribution to the Pike River fund,’’ Wisse said today.

``I got a request from a woman in the Loire Valley in France who was related to a West Coast mining family asking for a print as a further way of raising money for the bereaved families.’’

In a note to the miner’s families, Wisse recorded 29 words mentioned by the Pike River chief executive and the mayor to remember, giving strength and solace to not only the families but to the entire nation.

The 29 words were: miners, confusion, terror, pain, bravery, families, sons, brothers, fathers, husbands, anger, frustration, fighters, strength, tears, heartbreak, grief, vigil, sorrow, prayers, stoic, friends, tragedy, solidarity, heartwarming, future, love, resilience, memories.

Wisse is renowned for her modern depiction of New Zealand landscape including pohutukawa and emotive landscapes.

She has been one of New Zealand’s most prolific artists of the last 10 years. She has exhibited her work throughout New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the UK and also has her paintings among private collections in New York, Australia and the UK.

The prints will be available through her website: www.lisawisse.co.nz