National egg hunt to raise funds for sick kids

Artists (from left) Philippa Bentley, Sam Leitch, Dagmar Dyck and Erika Pearce designed this year's eggs. Photo / Dean Purcell

Super-sized eggs of all colours are to be placed around the country - making for the ultimate Easter egg hunt.

The Whittaker's Big Egg Hunt will start next month in a bid to raise funds for youngsters being treated at Auckland's Starship children's hospital.

Photos and details of the eggs are not being made public until they are placed throughout city centres - in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch - on March 12.

There are prizes for people who find the eggs, which will be hidden around the cities.

At the launch at Vector Arena last night, all 100 super-sized eggs were put on tall stands spaced out on the stadium floor.

Jun Arita (inset) checks out one of last year's eggs. Photo / Greg Bowker

As the artists walked into the room, a light switched on and there were audible gasps as the eggs were lit up. Among the artists were Philippa Bentley, Sam Leitch, Dagmar Dyck and Erika Pearce.

Bentley's works are known for portraying her love of nature and her surroundings.

She said being a part of the project was hugely rewarding.

"It's so nice to be a part of this - for Starship. It's great to be a part of the arts community doing this for kids."

Leitch, who has an exhibition tonight, said his egg was about understanding not just the outside of the product, but what was on the inside as well.

Dyck, a teacher at Sylvia Park School, drew on her Tongan roots for inspiration and was also motivated to be colourful, thanks to the children she teaches.

Fulltime artist and graphic designer 27-year-old Pearce said her work was about showing off her home, New Zealand.

The eggs will be placed publicly between March 12 and April 7 and will also be auctioned on Trade Me.