Illustrator Steffen Kreft's first mural, Life Beneath the Surface, brings the hidden creatures of Lake Wairarapa — the tadpole shrimp and the lamprey — to the wall next to the FreshChoice supermarket. It's the opening piece in a growing trail of community murals across Pae Tū Mōkai / Featherston.
The Pae Tū Mōkai Mural Festival brings artists and the community together to turn blank walls around Featherston into shared, hand-painted artworks. It starts with one wall, one artist, and a whole lot of local support — and it's designed to grow, one mural at a time, as more walls, artists and supporters come on board.
No art experience or big budget required to get involved — just curiosity, a bit of paint-splattered enthusiasm, and a willingness to help a wall become something the whole town is proud of.
An animation director, illustrator, marionette maker and puppeteer based just up the road in Greytown, Steffen trained in design in Germany and at Massey University, co-founded the animation studio National Park Studios, and has directed short films for the likes of Arte and museums across Germany and Aotearoa. He's also no stranger to community art — he previously directed the Greytown Arts Festival and has spent years building giant puppets and characters for festival stages.
"Steffen Kreft, 2026" — signed, bottom right of the wall.
Revealed at tonight's launch party, Life Beneath the Surface brings colour to the side of the wall facing the Fresh Choice car park. In the foreground, two remarkable residents of Lake Wairarapa take centre stage: the ancient tadpole shrimp searches through the soft lakebed for food, while the uniquely beautiful lamprey begins one of Aotearoa's most extraordinary journeys between freshwater and the sea.
Look a little closer and you'll discover this isn't simply a portrait of two animals. Faint silhouettes reveal other shrimp and lampreys living beyond our immediate view. A transparent shell marks where a tadpole shrimp has stepped out of its old exoskeleton, leaving behind a perfect ghost of its former self. Tiny shrimp hatch from eggs that can rest unnoticed in the mud for years, waiting for the return of water. In the background, young lampreys hitch a ride on a passing fish before continuing their own remarkable journey.
These are creatures that most of us will never see, yet they have been part of this wetland for millions of years. Beneath the quiet surface of Lake Wairarapa lies a world of ancient lives, hidden journeys and quiet resilience. This mural is an invitation to pause, look closely, and imagine the rich community that has always existed beneath the water.
Design and illustration by Steffen Kreft. First wall: beside the FreshChoice car park, Featherston.
The Bakehouse Collective — tonight's launch party venue.
A look at community mural-painting in action — this clip is from an earlier wall at The Bakehouse Collective, painted during Featherston Booktown 2025.
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The mural festival runs on community goodwill — supporters, sponsors and volunteers who want to see more colour, story and pride on Featherston's walls. Tell us you're in, and we'll be in touch.
Quickest way in right now — flick us an email and tell us how you'd like to help:
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