Esperance Health Campus gets splash of local colour

Esperance Health Campus is getting a fresh lick of paint on its inner courtyard as local artists paint a mural of Lucky Bay.

The project is a collaborative effort between Esperance Community Arts, the Lions Club, the health campus and two Esperance-based artists.

The idea came from Esperance Lions Club committee member Peter Miller after his wife was placed in palliative care at the campus early last year.

He said the courtyard was “unsightly”, which gave him the idea to do something about it.

“The nurse tried to move my wife out there for some fresh air; she took about three steps before realising it wasn’t a good idea — the grass was about waist-high,” he said.

“After this, we have plans to put in gardens and some more painting will be done by the hospital staff.”

Artist Esti Nagy, who has a background in landscape architecture and art therapy, said it was important for care facilities to have a space where patients could enjoy art and nature.

“I have been involved in hospital garden designs before and have done a lot of research into the importance of healing gardens and spaces in hospitals that connect people to nature,” she said.

“It helps people heal, feel grounded, and research now shows the importance of being in nature for mental wellbeing, which has effects on your physical wellbeing, too.”

Painter Pauline Bonney has a passion for teaching art as part of healing and capturing culture through her work.

Bonney helped paint the mural next to the police station as a part of Kalgoorlie-Boulder’s Heartwalk Project, which transformed the city’s CBD into a vibrant arts and cultural precinct.

She said they were already making a difference to the lives of those living and working in the centre.

“There is a lovely lady sitting in a room, which has a view of the mural as we are painting it — every time I turn around, she gives me a smile to say she’s happy with it,” she said.

“The nurses are walking past giving big smiles and thumbs up — we’re seeing the impact already.”

The mural is expected to be completed by the end of the week, provided no rain clouds form overhead.