Ever wondered who that woman is who does the huge bubbles around town? The Wanaka App caught up with Wanaka's very own Lily Lightly (AKA Diana Hickey).

WA: Where did your bubble journey begin?

DIANA: I was fascinated with the colours in puddles as a kid. Then at art school I chose bubbles - I was fascinated with the concept of conception and the magic of the embryonic sac and I wanted to emulate that. I started trying to perfect ice bubbles. I was trying to push the boundaries of what bubbles were and explore the life cycle of ice bubbles. Bubbles were the perfect sphere for me. I started doing performance with them, then got into street theatre with bubbles and working with inner-city kids doing clowning and bubbles. I worked with the Irish National Clown theatre.

WA: You were born and bred in Ireland. How did you end up in Wanaka?

DIANA: I came to look at the snow as I'd never been on a wave that didn't dump me and snow is like one big beautiful wave.

WA: As well as making bubbles what else do you do in Wanaka to make a living?

DIANA: I teach [instruments and voice], write and arrange music and vocals, and do the odd visual arts thingumy here and there, as well as mucking in with public events when I can.

WA: How long have you been here?

DIANA: I've been here in NZ for 17 years and while I'm proud to be a Kiwi citizen, my heart is still Irish. I've bounced between Wanaka, Dunedin, Christchurch and Auckland for study and work, but the Wanaka bubble always lures me back.

WA: What kind of work has taken you away?

DIANA: Wanaka is partially responsible for the various paths I've skipped down over the last 17 years, including studying art psychotherapy and gaining a Clinical Masters, and then working for the District Health Board at the coalface.

WA: What did that involve?

DIANA: I was doing art psychotherapy with children and young adults, in oncology and in palliative situations. And working with their parents and caregivers.

It was an incredible experience, but in the end I needed to take some time out and get back into creativity, for my own self care, and that’s when I came back to Wanaka. 

WA: What do you enjoy about living in Wanaka?

DIANA: The joys of working for great events like the Rippon music festival and YAMI, Rhythm and Alps, re-igniting my clowning past, peppered with visual arts exhibits and personal musical projects here and there. It's a town where not many of us are nine to fivers. To stay we need to creatively adapt to thrive. Maybe it's the mountains and these stunning pristine lakes and rivers we're surrounded by. I aspire to be more creative by simply being here. The community is hugely supportive of one another too, all manner of colourful expression can be born and I am very grateful to call the place home.

WA: Will you share the perfect bubble mixture recipe?

DIANA: You will need: the snot of a northern prismic sealion (obviously you have to wait until they get a cold - which doesn't happen often); the dust off the wings of a South American Wobble butterfly (but they are hard to catch) and some mermaid scales (scraping them off can be tricky). Save yourself the trouble and buy some from Lily directly on her Flying Colours Facebook page, or phone 021 400 857.

Lily Lightly will be performing at the Matariki celebrations at the Wanaka lakefront on Saturday.

PHOTO: Supplied