Source: Radio New Zealand
Hollywood star Pierce Brosnan has bought a Northland artist’s painting after spotting it in a Mangōnui fish and chip shop last week.
The artwork, by Logan White, was on display at Fresh & Tasty Mangōnui, run by his mother, Fiona White. She was stunned to see Brosnan eating their food when she’d popped into the next door hotel to use the bathroom.
“I saw his friend,” Fiona told Morning Report. “I just said to him ‘kia ora’ and he said ‘kia ora’. Then Pierce Brosnan turned around and I went ‘oh my God’.”
She invited him in for photos with the staff. “He goes ‘not a problem’ … he’s so down to Earth, really lovely guy.”
That’s when Brosnan spotted one of Logan’s tūī paintings – one of several his proud mother has on display – and paid $50 above the $350 price. The Irish actor had last week been reportedly spotted at art galleries around the North Island, according to the NZ Herald.
Logan, who struggles with anxiety, couldn’t bring himself to meet the actor.
“I was just at my mum’s house designing Mother’s Day advertising for her and I got a text saying ‘son, come down to the shop, Pierce Brosnan is here!’…
“I’m a ‘90s baby, so straight away I was like, ‘hey, that’s the guy from Mrs. Doubtfire’ that’s the kind of iconic movie that I know him from, as well as James Bond, but that’s the one that’s kind of ingrained in my mind.”
Logan, who began with graffiti and has painted murals across Northland and Auckland as well as for famous figures like Dame Whina Cooper’s granddaughter and Awa of Nesian Mystik, says he’s become obsessed with native birds.
“It’s cool to put a piece of yourself out there for little towns and all the locals love it.
“When I’m painting them, they walk past and say ‘that looks amazing. Thanks for putting beautiful colour in the town’, definitely keeps you going and inspired to do more.”
Although he doesn’t have a photo of himself handing over the painting to Brosnan, his mother got the actor to sign a couple of pieces.
He hopes others won’t let anxiety hold them back from great opportunities.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand