Warramunda Village’s recent open day saw the Lois Higgs Art Installation, eight spectacular original artworks of Australian wildlife, officially unveiled – a gift from the Higgs family.
But it was the speech in front of the large painting of two brolgas that brought out the emotions of her son Jim as he spoke.
“Brolga was Mum’s name with the Girl Guides,” he said.
It was just one of the many causes to which Lois devoted years of her life to make Kyabram the community it is today.
The paintings, by celebrated Warrnambool artist Jimmi Buscombe, really do, in the words of Warramunda chief executive John Clark, “do so much more than transform a wall”.
He said art of this calibre “can start conversations and create moments of recognition and curiosity. It can change the way an environment feels for the people living within it.”
It was the village’s first open day since COVID-19 and the perfect format to acknowledge the generous donation from the Higgs family in memory of their mother, who spent her final seven years as a resident there.
The project, which was a few years in the making, grew from the family’s desire to express its gratitude for the care Lois received.
Framed in oak and created using vibrant acrylics, the eight wildlife pieces now brighten the hallways of Warramunda Village, with the installation designed with a simple but profound purpose: to bring inside the beauty of the outdoors for the people who call Warramunda home.
Lois was a passionate early childhood educator, with more than 1000 children benefiting under her enthusiastic care, and guests heard how many of her former students discovered a lifelong love for art and creativity through her kind, hands-on guidance.
Throughout her life, Lois wove, knitted, spun, embroidered, sewed and painted – often rescuing materials others regarded as waste and turning them into beautiful pieces of art and design, and usefulness.
She was also a division commissioner with the Girl Guides, where her name of Brolga inspired the artwork, including the one which has become Jim’s favourite.
Wanting to honour her passion for creativity and appreciation for the natural world, the Higgs family sought to fund a meaningful project that reflected her lifelong values.
As a result, Jimmi spent three days immersing himself in Kyabram, spending a day at Kyabram Fauna Park researching and photographing wildlife, followed by two days at Warramunda Village.
Seeing the finished collection mounted on the walls was also an emotional milestone for him, describing the moment as feeling like the paintings had finally “come home”.
Jim also shared his wish for the collection to bring joy to residents, visitors and staff across the facility, hoping the artworks would be rotated through different wings over time.
To extend the legacy of the commission, prints of all eight artworks will be made available for purchase, with proceeds returning to support the facility and its residents.
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