Bringing the bush to the backyard: Whanganui artist recreates wild beauty at home.

Whanganui artist Pauline Allomes has transformed her wash house wall into a scene from Bushy Park Tarapuruhi. Photo / Bevan Conley

It is no secret that the flora of Bushy Park Tarapuruhi is a favourite subject for Whanganui artist Pauline Allomes.

Now she has recreated a piece of it on her wash house wall in Aramoho.

"I spent around 100 hours on it," she says.

"I have a new admiration for artists who paint outdoor murals because its a lot harder than you might imagine."

Working during the hottest days of the year also made the project more challenging, causing her brush to harden and the paint to dry quickly.

"I used a palette knife to apply some of the paint and I am pleased with the results."

Painting the scene over a doorway and a wooden louvred window provided some challenges but the end result gives the impression that you can almost feel and smell the leafy pathways in the scene.

The wash house was "a bit of an eyesore" that didn't match the era of the cottage and detracted from the garden but now it adds a whole other dimension to her outdoor vista.

Allomes first opened the front rooms of her restored pre-World War I cottage for Artists Open Studios in 2018 and had planned to host two community fundraising events this year as well as opening her back garden so people can view the outdoor work. With Artists Open Studios now cancelled, Allomes says people are still welcome to visit her backyard to see the wall but her studio and gallery will be closed.

A new lawn has been planted and pathways laid in readiness for welcoming visitors and Allomes hopes there will be many.

Pauline Allomes: 4 Barrack St, Aramoho.