General News
28 October, 2021
Renowned artist brings college to life
MORTLAKE College students have enjoyed an up-close look at the work of prominent local artist Jimmi Buscombe this week, with the artist beginning work on a new mural at the school’s assembly area.
MORTLAKE College students have enjoyed an up-close look at the work of prominent local artist Jimmi Buscombe this week, with the artist beginning work on a new mural at the school’s assembly area.
Mr Buscombe, who gained international fame for his ‘Gutsy the Wombat’ bridge mural in Warrnambool, said he was undertaking the work as part of his fourth artist residence project, which will combine work on the mural with students learning artistic tricks of their own from his trick-of-the-eye colouring book.
The design will see the bricks surrounding the wall incorporated in to the piece, appearing to fall away to reveal a natural setting with native flora and fauna prominently displayed.
“Knowing Tea Tree Lake is so close I wanted to tie it in because a lot of my work is nature-based with a lot of wildlife art,” he said.
“I wanted to tie it in with local area, with native flora and fauna, so there is native grasses, magpie geese, a ring-tail possum, kingfishers, a wallaby and an echinda incorporated in to the design.
“A lot of my artwork is about bringing nature in to man-made structures, and for the school designs in particular I like to give them a bit of humour.
“This one is extending the bricks upwards so it looks like they are part of the school rather than it just being a picture on a wall, trying to literally tie it in the building a little more.”
Mr Buscombe was enjoying the experience of working in front of students, who have been curiously watching on and asking plenty of questions.
“A big part of it is creating a more vibrant environment at schools,”he said.
“Especially the young kids, they are so inquisitive and ask so many questions.
“Being able to show students the development over the week, trying to inspire and get them in to art, and having them ask questions such as how to do a mural.
“Public art is where my passion is because it is connecting to people, even in the streets people will come over, ask what you’re doing and have a chat. It’s really good.”
As part of the project Mr Buscombe will also help to select winners as part of the school’s trick of the eye art competition, which will see six primary and six secondary students selected as winners.
“Some of the entries I have seen so far are wonderful,” he said.
“The competition is fun because it’s a bit of creativity for the kids to get involved and tie them in to what is going on.”
