A mighty paint job

Invercargill painter Robbie Miller prepares to spray a shiny new coat on oversized fruit. Photos...
Invercargill painter Robbie Miller prepares to spray a shiny new coat on oversized fruit. Photos by Jono Edwards.
Spray gun in hand, Invercargill painter Robbie Miller will brighten up a Cromwell icon.
Spray gun in hand, Invercargill painter Robbie Miller will brighten up a Cromwell icon.

Invercargill painter Robbie Miller is no stranger to freshening huge sculptures like Cromwell's Big Fruit with his company Insignia Signs. Jono Edwards quizzes him on restoring the town's crown jewels to their former glory.

What's involved in painting something like the Big Fruit?

Well first up it needs a big water-blasting, cleaning up of the built-up residue, a sand all over.

From there it's really straightforward.

How long will it take to paint?

It would take two weeks, weather depending.

It has definitely faded a bit in the last 12 years with Central's heat.

How much time will you have to spend on a cherry picker?

Mate, all day long up on the cherry picker.

When you get down at the end of the day you're still bouncing around.

After two weeks, you're all over the show.

How much paint will you need for, say, the nectarine?

Basically, it would take about three litres for the undercoat.

By the time you've worked your way around it, it would probably be seven or eight extra for the overcoat.

It will take at least 70 to 80 litres for the whole thing.

Are there fancy names for the colours you're using?

I've got the primary colours, and just mix them all from there.

What got you into this work?

Well actually I've worked pretty closely with a man named Errol Allison in Gore who made the big trout down there.

I've worked on a number of projects with Errol.

We're both sign-writers by trade, but more into the artistic side of the trade than normal sign-writing.

It's become a big part of my business.

If you could pick one type of fruit to be added to the sculpture, what would it be?

It would have to be cherries.

A lot of people have commented on that.

I think things have changed a bit in the area since the sculpture was made.

My sister works on a cherry orchard, so maybe I'm a bit biased.

What is the biggest big thing you have painted?

Well I've done maintenance for the big fish in Gore, but this would definitely be one of the trickiest things I've ever painted.

Do you have your eyes on any of New Zealand's other huge structures?

The Ohakune Carrot would be good.

It would be a lot easier.

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