Intentional Creativity© Facilitators and Artists Rosie Mac of Christchurch and Kerry Lee from the San Francisco Bay Area of California created an international collaboration with “The Grove of Intention” mural. The purpose of the mural was to create a gift to the community of Christchurch that would foster engagement and reflection on the meaning of each of the trees. Originally planned to be viewed for 6 months, it was available for public viewing for a full 12 months while the new "Spark" building was being erected on the corner of Cathedral Square and Colombo Street. The mural was 26.5 metres in length and 2.4 metres high, and was located in Westpac Lane, between Cathedral Square and Hereford Street.

​

The mural is the second and the largest in the world of a series of Intention Trees interactive experiential public artworks created by the Intentional Creativity© Guild whose members are found in seventeen countries globally.  

​

The Grove of Intention is a series of seven Klimt inspired graphic trees painted in metallic gold on a dark blue background. Each tree has a specific title and an inquiry related to each tree. View our trees and inquiries below. The project began on March 5th 2019, and was in progress during the Christchurch terrorist attacks that took place on March 15th. The purpose of the mural became even more poignant at that time, and as a result, Rosie and Kerry Lee chose the Peace Tree to honour the lives of the men and women who lost their lives that day.  They applied 50 of their own thumbprints at the base of the tree in white , and added green dots as a symbol of remembrance. In the Islamic culture, white symbolizes purity and peace, and green symbolizes paradise. On May 16th, 2019, Rosie added one further thumbprint and green dot to honour a gentleman who had passed away as a result of his injuries in the terrorist attacks.

​

During the painting of the mural, we asked for one-word answers to our inquiries related to the trees, and these were submitted on our Facebook and Instagram pages using the hashtags #RosieMac and #KerryLee. 

 

During an “open to the public” Celebration and Unveiling, event visitors were also invited to write their one word answers on a paper leaf and following the opening Rosie Mac and Kerry Lee then painted those answers on the branches of the trees.  

​

Citizens and visitors to Christchurch City Centre were invited to visit the trees on their own, as family, with friends or for a school outing or with a group.  

​

The mural was dismantled on March 9th, 2020. The Connection Tree was gifted to The Spark Foundation. The Wisdom Tree will be gifted to Hagley High School, and the Gratitude Tree will be gifted to Melanie Mayell (The Creatrix) for her her new Transformation Centre.

​

#RosieMac, #KerryLee, #TheGroveOfIntention, #EnlivenPlacesProgramme, #ChristchurchCityCouncil, #AllRight?Campaign, #IntentionalCreativity.  

​