Art can come from unexpected places. For emerging regional Victorian artist Samantha Whetton, it began during long, quiet hours spent caring for her mother in her final chapter at an aged care facility.
While sitting with her mum, Samantha noticed the sheer volume of small plastic medicine cups used each day and immediately discarded. Hundreds passed through her hands. Rather than seeing waste, she saw possibility. Raised in a home where craft and making were part of everyday life, Samantha began experimenting with the cups, shaping them into delicate flowers.
In early 2023, this simple idea grew into a meaningful creative practice. Samantha has since created more than 150 hand-made roses from recycled medicine cups, presenting them as single stems, framed artworks and sculptural arrangements. Each piece carries a quiet story of care, memory and transformation.
Sustainability sits at the heart of Samantha’s work. Alongside medicine cups, she repurposes plastic bottles, jars, fabric scraps, socks, old sheets and unwanted toys, ensuring materials are reused rather than sent to landfill. Offcuts are never wasted and are folded back into future works.
While travelling to and from her horse agistment property, Samantha regularly passed the Cyril Callister Vegemite Museum in Beaufort, regional Victoria. Inspired by the museum’s strong connection to community, history and storytelling, she donated a collection of flowers made in Vegemite’s iconic red and yellow colours to support the museum’s fundraising efforts.
The donation reflects the shared values of both artist and museum. Creativity, sustainability and giving back to the community.
The Cyril Callister Vegemite Museum celebrates stories like Samantha’s. Stories where everyday materials, personal history and regional pride come together to create something meaningful.
