Originally from Cali in Colombia, Maryori Barrera has been living in New Zealand for nearly three years. She and her husband came to Nelson from the USA for his work as a pastor.
Through our leadership in our community we met Karolina Serrano, and she told me about the ArtBoxes. I would like to thank her for encouraging me to be part of this wonderful opportunity.
The idea to paint “Happy Campers” was because of the impact they had on me. Before I came to New Zealand, I had never seen so many people enjoying life in a caravan. I can see that caravans are popular because they offer people a way to explore the beautiful creation that God has made. Travellers can wake up in nature, they can change plans spontaneously, and they can avoid strict accommodation schedules.
The happy campers are people that show us a lifestyle of simplicity with a good attitude to the people around them. They are very kind and show us happiness even in a small place.
ArtBoxes is a joint project with Arts Council Nelson.
Huge thanks to NEL (Nelson Electricity Limited) for supporting our artists to transform their boxes!
