Dannevirke artist Pat Herbert in her garage with her Viking "man" who has had a makeover in the past three weeks. Photo/Christine McKay
Dannevirke artist Pat Herbert in her garage with her Viking "man" who has had a makeover in the past three weeks. Photo/Christine McKay
Dannevirke artist Pat Herbert has had a 27-year love affair with a striking Viking that shows no sign of cooling.
Herbert's affair with the town hall Viking began when she first came up with the winning design for the 4.6m muscular giant. She has had him secreted away in her Dannevirke garage for the past three weeks, giving him the third makeover in his life.
"As he's a mirror image, I have a double paint job," she explained.
Dannevirke's Pat Herbert with the paper pattern of the Viking she made 29 years ago. In front are the paints supplied by Moana Beveridge and Resene for the third makeover of our town icon.
Eric the Viking, who celebrated his 27th birthday in April, left his roof-top vantage point 6m above the Information Centre on the Town Hall some weeks ago, prompting Pat into a hunt for her "man".
"When I saw he was missing I searched and found him at the Menz Shed, where he was having a spruce-up and receiving a coat of weatherproofing," she said.
And although he is known as Eric, 27 years ago Pat's two grandsons named the Viking "Nannie's Man" and that's how she sees him - as her "man".
Pat was delighted when the Enterprise Trust chose her design for the Viking in 1991.
He was first installed above the town hall on May 23, 1991, built in marine ply and held together with 50 screws and bolts and lengths of steel up his back.
Even all those years ago he didn't come cheap. Pat still has the costings - $569.10. And Pat's drawings were so detailed, when her Viking was first cut out, there was cursing as blades were broken.
"He's the bionic Viking with steel inserted into the mirror image and his sword is stainless steel," Pat explained.
Pat Herbert in 2007 with her "man" giving him his second makeover.
"I feel a sense of pride every time I drive past the town hall. He has seen a lot of goings on along High St, but he's not telling.
"He stands there in the rain, hail, wind and snow and you can't miss him."
Pat has painted the Viking twice before, once on the family farm at Tataramoa and then again at Umutaoroa.
The creation wasn't just a simple paint job and facelift, instead it took a complete concept, design and artistic effort to create the much-talked about icon.
"He's a big boy, you know,'' Pat said, laughing. "In the early days I had to take him to the woolshed at Tataramoa so I could work on him.
"It took a long time and when I needed to get a good perspective on my work I had to clamber over the sheep pens and stand on the railings. Thank goodness I didn't need to do that this time, it has only taken three weeks and he's looking magnificent again.''
And although Pat loves her bionic Viking, when it came time for a refurbishment in 2007, she had to send him further afield.
"I had to say, 'No, take him away.' I was very busy working on my design for that year's Montana WOW Awards show and helping with some special touches for the Dannevirke Theatre Company's production of The King and I.
"I would have had a fit if the Viking had arrived in the midst of all that. But he came back to hang around in the garage at the back door.''
But this time the makeover is extra special.
"I was looking at the Viking shields along our High St and though how nice they would be with my man," she said.
"The next thing I knew, Ross MacDonald of the Dannevirke Community Board arrived at my shed with a shield. I was thrilled, but I don't know how thrilled he was when I said I needed not one, but two."
The original shields were made by Metalform for Dannevirke's High St upgrade and Pat said they'd be a focal point for the Viking when he returned home.
"I think he depicts strength, dedication and leadership and I'm proud to have been part of his life," she said.
Moana Beveridge donated the paint, brushes and everything else Pat required, courtesy of Resene.
"It's taken three weeks to get him painted again and to get the right flesh tones. It took some mixing," she said.
The original patterns Pat made 29 years ago were helpful. "They're almost past it now and I don't think I'll be giving my Viking a fourth paint job," she said.
"One night I even got out of bed to check I'd done things right."
Bad weather delayed the Viking's return last week, but Ross MacDonald and Dannevirke builder Hamish Illsley were hoping to have him back in place over the weekend.
