Standing before a blank wall in downtown Auburn, artist Matthew Willey doesn’t just see bricks and mortar — he sees a bee hive waiting to come to life. Willey is transforming a community exterior wall along Highway 75 for the next project in his series at the invitation of the Auburn Creative District. The project is supported by Grow Auburn, Auburn Arts and Events, the Nebraska Arts Council, Enjoy Nemaha County, the Auburn Creative District, and the Community Redevelopment Authority.
“We wanted something with a lot of visibility, and Highway 75 was the perfect spot,” said Leslie Clark of the Auburn Creative District and Chamber. “When people drive through town, we want them to see color and creativity right away.”
Willey, the founder of The Good of the Hive initiative, is known worldwide for painting larger-than-life honeybees on walls and buildings. His mission is as ambitious as it is simple: to paint 50,000 bees, the approximate number found in a healthy hive, over 21 years. Each bee becomes part of a collective story about connection, community, and the environment.
