VOLUNTEER artist Jane Dacruz is creating murals for residents at a Kinross dementia care centre.
The renaming of houses at Amana Living Kinross to Kookaburra House, Beach House and Frangipani House prompted the project.
The centre’s enrichment team put out a call for a volunteer to paint themed murals on feature walls in each house, and Dacruz saw it as a chance to give back to the community.
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READ NOWThe part-time artist usually paints landscapes and seascapes on canvas and board, so painting directly onto a wall presented a new challenge for her, as did the ‘kookaburra’ and ‘frangipani’ themes.
She rose to the challenge and worked with the staff to find sample imagery and colours to suit each house before starting work a few weeks ago.
When she was creating the ‘frangipani’ mural, Dacruz said the residents, who live with dementia, did not take much interest until she started to add the bright colours.
Then they started visiting her and chatting about the painting as it progressed.
Amana Living chief executive Ray Glickman said the project showed how volunteers added value to residents’ lives.
“We have around 200 people volunteering in Amana Living care centres, from students to retired people,” he said.
“It’s a win-win situation, because our volunteers get a great deal out of the experience, and our residents’ lives are enriched by their involvement.”
The three Kinross murals and new names will be launched on May 26.