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McCarthy and Kiwi illustrators recreate Kaikoura sea life to raise money for the community
Following the devastating series of earthquakes in Kaikoura, Christchurch design studio McCarthy is hoping to raise some money for the community with its project Cards for Kaikoura, which launches on Wednesday.
Seven illustrators from around New Zealand, including Toby Morris, Brett King, Hamish Childs, Frankie Pip, Scott Bolton, and Sam Moore, have helped the studio create a limited edition six card set featuring a unique take on the creatures found along the Kaikoura coast.
The designs include a scuba diving octopus, a build-your-own seagull and a spear-wielding fish.
Director Stephen McCarthy says it was keen to put a plan into motion because Kaikoura is “pretty special” and is an escape up the coast for a dive, fish and a surf.
There are a 1000 sets available, but McCarthy says if all goes well, it’ll create more merchandise from the artwork at a later date. He hopes to make the cards stocking fillers for Christmas.
Sets cost $20, with all proceeds going to Kaikoura. Sponsorship from NZ Post means there is free shipping across the country, while Printers Inc’s is sponsoring the printing and BJ Ball Paper is sponsoring the paper stock.
McCarthy knows the devastation of an earthquake well, after it lost three studios in the Christchurch quake. Following that disaster, it created posters to raise funds for the New Zealand Heritage foundation to remember some of the forgotten buildings that went down.
The project saw the studio sell 500 posters in four months and pick up a silver at the 2013 Best Awards.
