A colourful mosaic created by a group of residents, staff and volunteers has been unveiled at Highercombe Residential Living.
The 2m high mural, which depicts an archway and galahs at a bird bath, has been installed in the Heysen courtyard of the Hope Valley home.
The mosaic project took nine months to complete and was led by artist-in-residence Luna Parrish. It was created in three pieces and mounted on a frame constructed by the ACH Group maintenance team.
A group of residents, most of whom have never tried mosaics before, spent several hours a week on the project. They were consulted right from the beginning of the process to help decide on the final design, and worked together to choose the mosaic’s colours and shapes, cut out pieces and glue them into place.
“It’s quite different to traditional art classes, such as painting or drawing, but for people who enjoy it, it can be very relaxing,” Luna says. “The group enjoys sitting and chatting together. There’s a collaborative, constructive aspect that is unique to this project.”
Joy Brangwin had never tried mosaics before her first class with Luna and says she has enjoyed learning something new. “I used to decorate wedding cakes, I knit and crochet, and spin wool, but I’ve never done this,” she says. “It’s a bit like painting, only you’re doing it with tiles. I really enjoy it – it’s very easy to sit here for a few hours and get stuck in.”