Smug, also known as Sam Bates or Smugone on Instagram, has spent the better part of his career perfecting hyper-realistic murals across Europe, from Ireland to Paris.

But the veteran street artist said he was enjoying a return to his roots with the silo art.

"I'm from rural Australia, and I've lived in Europe in a big city for the past twenty years," Smug said.

"Every time I do a silo, it just feels like I'm coming home. That's the greatest thing about the silo art for me; it just feels natural, even though it's probably the most unnatural thing you can do."

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Smug hails from Nowra, three hours south of Sydney, where he first started experimenting with street art.

"I came into (painting murals) with a graffiti background," Smug said.

"As a graffiti artist, you always want it to be bigger and better; you want to be noticed more.

"It was a natural progression for me to slowly make each mural that I did bigger and better than the last, each thing that I ever painted I always wanted to my best thing. I try to best myself, and these big murals are perfect for that."

The Horsham silo art project, called Yangga Dyata - Walking on Country in Wergaia language, will be completed in 12-16 days, according to Smug.

Before starting work on the Horsham silo, Smug finished a tennis-themed mural on the Arkona silo.

Smug has begun transforming the Horsham silo and flour mill into a fitting tribute to former-Wotjobaluk Aboriginal warrior Yanggendyinanyuk.

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"The thing about the silo art is that there's always such a great community involved in it," he said.

"It just feels so welcoming for me, and it's nostalgic for me to come home and paint in an area like this.

"Horsham reminds me of my hometown; that's the draw."

As part of the project, Smug will take Wimmera-based artist Tenisha Lovett under his wing to pass on the tricks of the trade.

Ms Lovett's work will be transforming the sound shell at Sawyer Park.

The artist said she was thrilled for the opportunity to learn from Smug.

"(The best part is) I've never had the opportunity to paint exteriors before, so it's pretty exciting to learn about all the materials and about scaling my art up," Ms Lovett said.

Horsham residents are free to come and watch Smug at work throughout the next two weeks.

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