Every wall tells a story for the Flawsome Artist
Michelle Sigley’s murals are jewels around the town
If you have passed by the premises of Whanganui Plumbing on Somme Parade recently, you may have seen artist Michelle Sigley at work outside. Michelle, aka “The Flawsome Artist”, has now put the finishing touches to her latest mural which is known as Mr Tinker Thinker. That name, she says, came from social media.
“One of my fans on my The Flawsome Artist Facebook page called him that, and I thought it was perfect. Thank you whoever came up with it.”
Michelle says when she is first commissioned for mural work she meets with the customer to get an idea of what they want.
“We talk through their ideas and do some brainstorming and collaborating, then go back and forth with ideas and pictures. As this process progresses, the ideas just flourish and form in my mind.”
The relationship between customer / client and herself is based heavily on trust, she says.
“I freehand straight on to the wall, no sketches first, just a few reference pictures and the rest in just in my head. So the customer / client has to truly trust the process — and I am very grateful they do.”
The inspiration for Mr Tinker Thinker came from thinking about Whanganui Plumbing’s history in the town, she says.
“It’s about standing the test of time. Whanganui Plumbing has been in business for a very long time and they are very loyal to our community. I love doing old-fashioned pictures as they really encapsulate the essence of our beautiful vintage town.”
That’s not to say Michelle doesn’t like other art styles, she adds.
“Actually, I love doing any work. I also love bright coloured works for kids, schools and sports grounds.
“All my work is site specific, I don’t want to just plonk an abstract artwork on a wall, it really has to have more meaning and tell a story about its surroundings.”
Michelle’s next piece will be quite different to Mr Tinker Thinker, she says.
“It is for a school and was designed by a student so it’s going to be super special, especially as some lucky students are going to help.”
Michelle’s murals feature on several walls around Whanganui including Play to Win, Crazy Pumpkin and the boat club, and as her reputation grows, so does her reach.
“Palmerston North have started pinching me too.”
Even if you don’t have a wall in need of a mural, you can still own some original artwork by Michelle as the multi-disciplinary artist has a website selling a wide range of her art, from native bird drawings and prints to acrylic landscapes.
“I also have a store on Chooice but most people contact me directly if they like something, plus I also sell a few works through galleries, gift shops and Trade Me — that’s where I run charity auctions as well. I try to do at least one (charity auction) every couple of months, my current one is for Cyclone Gabrielle.” While she is known as The Flawsome Artist, Michelle says flaws and mistakes are actually awesome. “Whenever I get asked for advice, I always say make mistakes. You learn so much more from a mistake.”