MOOLUX
48
Marion Laurence - Moolux
Artist
I am an illustrator with my strength being in detail, so to be asked to paint the many facets of a family history was a fascinating time for me. I kept a diary, and each cow that I painted took between 250-300 hours, not counting all the thinking and visualising before I even started. The story of the Luxton family is interwoven with the fascinating history of the area where the generations have lived for a hundred years. The railway line was a vital part of the early stories, as means of communication and transporting the children to school. I was invited to the Luxton homestead to discuss the plans for their cow, and their love, respect and family pride came clearly through their stories. The Tatuanui Dairy Factory stands central, supplied by the farmers living and working on what was once Waikato swamplands, and now intensive dairying land. The Luxton's involvement with setting up the factory was a feature I enjoyed studying, as I pored over their old photos in order to reproduce them with accuracy. What better feature to show the richness of dairy herd production than painting the strawberries and cream on 'Moolux' udder. I really loved painting the beautiful, delicate white rose 'Margaret Merril' on the head - a tribute to the Luxton women, and I added tiny blue 'forget-me-not' flowers there also. Over many years, the family's commitment to service, both local and to our country, appears on painting of the Houses of New Zealand Parliament, with their medals for recognition of their services.
The amazing beauty and elegance of gardens and floral art is an art form for which the Luxton's are known and respected, and so I enjoyed depicting this delicate work on the feet and legs of 'Moolux', including the humour of the 'Trevs' depicted at the famous Morrinsville Floral Festival. Portraying the gardens surrounding the Luxton historic homestead was a special pleasure.
