Artist Jimmi Buscombe will work his mural magic on the walls of Warramunda Village.
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Acclaimed wildlife artist Jimmi Buscombe will spend three days in Kyabram after accepting an Artist in Residence commission at Warramunda Village.
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He will work closely with residents and staff as part of a new art project that aims to bring the beauty of the region’s birdlife indoors for aged care residents to enjoy.
The visit is part of a wider redevelopment of the village, which will see the village expand from 82 to 130 beds over the next five years.
Chief executive John Clark said the project was a natural fit as part of broader goals to enhance the living environment for residents during the redevelopment.
“Our aim is to bring the outdoors inside, to use these artworks as a way to connect people with nature, especially those who may not be able to get outdoors as much any more,” Mr Clark said.
“It’s about creating a space that inspires wellbeing, comfort and connection. Jimmi’s work plays an important part in that vision.”
Mr Buscombe will spend time at the Kyabram Fauna Park and use local knowledge to inform his work, which he said he wanted to be specific to the town.
The village will be the second aged-care facility Mr Buscombe has had an artist’s residence in, which he enjoys the social component of.
Jimmi Buscombe pictured with his self-portrait at Lyndoch Village, Warnambool.
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“One of the most amazing things for me was the interaction,” he said.
“Residents would sit with me all day while I painted. A few were artists themselves. One gave me advice and I ended up painting one of her works.”
His previous residence at Lyndoch Living in Warnambool was the subject of a short film by the ABC, and was credited with aesthetic and wellbeing improvements for residents.
Mr Buscombe has completed over 30 major public art commissions since 2018, and has been recognised with numerous nominations for national awards.
Jimmi Buscombe has completed more than 30 murals in the last seven years.
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However, the human interaction is what keeps him coming back to projects like this.
“I’m really happy to paint and chat with people,” Mr Buscombe said.
“There’s something about art in aged care that creates a different kind of magic. It’s a shared experience. It brings stories to life.”
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