COMPLETED COMMISSIONED ARTWORKS

COMPLETED COMMISSIONED ARTWORKS

Thunder Point Memories

101cm X 76cm Acrylic on Canvas

I was asked to create a piece capturing childhood memories of Thunder Point used as a playground. The circular gathering place represents the playground with areas of footprints big and small amongst a pattern representing Country, which represents her as a child and still going back as an adult. The long lines of plants represent the coastal Pig Face plant that creeps along the land, the leaf represents a place of reflection, deep thoughts and healing whilst connecting with and looking out over the ocean. The two red swirls represent a couple of near drownings at the places where they occurred, the echidna tracks represent where she released an echidna, the boomerang represents going back to this special place and thinking back to childhood memories and experiences, with the seeds and flowers representing the memories of her and her father revegetating parts of the land there. Amongst the small rock pools off the coast I have also added the colours of the Blue Ringed Octopus as I was asked to include this in some form. I have also included a couple of midden sites reminding us of the ancient occupation our First Peoples had along our coast.
Goodtime

Spring of Life

101cm x 76cm Acrylic on Canvas

I was asked to create a piece that captured what this property would have had happening before colonisation, as the property has a natural spring which I have put in the middle of the piece as a focal point where many tribes would have stopped by or camped near for the continuous flow of fresh water which is what the 3 smaller gathering places represent. I have captured their journey from the ocean through the sand dunes through to Kelly's Swamp, with the footprints representing their journey. The boomerangs represent them returning to the spring often. The turtle represents where my clients released a long necked turtle into the swamp. The small nests of eggs and bird tracks represent the eggs and birdlife that would have been a constant source of food around the swamp as well as the bushtucker being represented by the leaves and berries under the swamp. The pattern in the swamp where the circles join look woven as it represents the basket grass that would have also been sourced and used. There are eels on each side of the spring as they live in and around it, the emu and kangaroo tracks also represent the native animals that would have used the spring as a watering hole. The cows hooves represent the cattle that are on the property now, with the larger circle representing my clients home and family, who often see the Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoos and Wedge Tailed Eagles flying around their property. The stone axe represents where one was found on the property which reminds them of the First Peoples existence before the occupation of the land. The dogs paw prints are their pet dogs, that once would have been dingoes as pets hundreds of years ago. The flowering gum in the bottom corner represents a special place on the property that my client finds soothing and therapeutic with the layers of colours representing the good energy that comes from that.
Goodtime

‘Drivers of Our Own Destiny ’

I am so excited, honoured and proud to be able to finally share with you all an artwork I was engaged by the First Peoples Assembly for Victoria to create, which will adorn the historical Treaty Negotiation Framework they are handing to the government, representing the Victorian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples hopes and wishes for a Treaty Agreement. I have done my best to try and capture significant and important areas that need to be explored and negotiated, remembering and honouring our ancestors plight along the journey towards Treaty, and the incredible positive and healing effect this will have on all our mob and future generations. Please click on the below link to check out the full Framework document.

You will find the artwork and its story are on the treaty negotiation framework on pages 66 and 67 in the link below.
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  • Drivers of our own destiny

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Goodtime Getaways

101cm x 76cm Acrylic on Canvas

This is another piece for friends that we were lucky enough to have a part of on our trip to Darwin in 2021.

Starting from the bottom up, Uluru is represented in the bottom right corner, next to that the hill shapes represent Coober Pedy as the mounds of earth they dig up and the hidden gems under the layers of earth they need to dig through to reach them. The Brolga in the left bottom corner represents the bird life we witnessed along the way and the lizard and leaves representing the many types of reptiles as well as the many varying plant species.

The circles represent fireworks in Marla and our journey line coming from that.

Through the middle is the sun with our group surrounding it and the Murray river running through, which is also a special place to my friends.

The gum leaves represent the therapeutic effect that being out on Country has and the beauty of the bush. The pools of water are the swimming holes at Litchfield National Park and next to them is an aerial view of Lake Moondarra at Mt Isa where the men went fishing. The croc represents Cahills Crossing and the jumping crocs tour we took on Adelaide River. The top left corner is the amazing rock art we walked along the rocky shelves to enjoy at Ubirr Kakadu and the Franjipani being my friend's favourite flower which we saw along the way.
Goodtime

‘Pootamay’ Meaning ‘Trust'

Original Acrylic on Canvas - 101.5cm X 76cm

This piece was commissioned by St Vincent's Hospital's Palliative Care Hospice - Caritas Christi in Kew. My aim was to create an artwork that reflects the Palliative Care experience from a First Nations perspective.
The butterfly represents transitioning to the afterlife, their Dreaming, and trusting the process and people supporting them in the hospice, which are represented by the hands. The stars represent the Dreaming, where their ancestors live. The boomerangs represent them returning to their Dreaming and the blue journey lines have their stories and footprints in them that will always remain here. The butterfly's body is made up of two shields representing them feeling safe and the circles in the bottom of the butterfly represent their family, mob and community, whom they will continue to watch over.
The small leaves in the butterfly represent letting go, like a leaf knows when to let go of the branch, when the time is right. The Red Tailed-Black cockatoo feathers represent them setting their spirit free. The larger leaves outside of the butterfly represent Country as their medicine and Country is also represented in the pink part surrounding the bottom of the butterfly. The green parts on either side of the butterfly shows the connections to different people, places, and animals that the person made during their life journey.
Balance and flow

Chasing the Sun

101.6cm X 76.2cm Acrylic on Canvas

Friends that we were lucky enough to travel with on an amazing 6 week adventure travelling to the top end and back in 2021, asked me to capture the holiday in a painting. The story has captured many places we experienced such as Coober Pedy, fireworks at Marla, Devil's Marbles, the magic Uluru, the beautiful Katherine Gorge, the amazing night sky, Leitchfield National Park waterholes, the amazing rock art at Kakadu, the croc represents watching the jumping crocs in Adelaide River and watching them at Cahill's Crossing, with the sun representing Darwin. There is also an aerial view of the Mt Isa mines where we went to the rodeo, as well as my version of different landscapes on Country in the outback. The large circle is our group with our journey line and the boomerang represents us all hopefully coming back together to go back and do it all again.
spring

Wallawar (Glow) Design

This spectacular piece was created for the Warrnambool Art Gallery as part of the Wallawar festival held in November 2021. Wallawar means Glow in our local Peek Woorroong language. The story behind this one was based on what our ancestors would have seen glow before colonisation. The 3metre x 3metre inflatable illuminated ball represents the full moon,with my design also capturing the thoughts of local Elders, Uncle Rob Lowe who mentioned the volcanic lava flow from MacArthur to Killarney which I have represented through the middle, Uncle Dennis Rose describing the glow from all the campfires amongst the wetlands he read in an early settlers published diary, which is represented around the bottom and Uncle Locky Eccles who spoke about how they used the stars for navigation, represented around the top where I also added some lightning. This was on display in the Gallery over the festival's two week period
spring

Coastal Connection

91cm x 91cm Acrylic on Canvas

I was asked to create a piece that would reflect a couple's special connection to the coast, where they often go to collect shells. I have captured the sea and its waves, the sand dunes using patterns to portray movement with the dots representing the grains of sand. Running through the middle are their footsteps left in the sand as they walk along and collect the shells they are drawn to and take home to add to their collection. Under that is their journey line with the patterns representing the good energy and therapeutic effect it has on them and their family.
Balance and flow

Friends with Nature

91cm x 61cm Acrylic on Canvas

I was asked to create an artwork as a gift for a receptionist that was leaving a medical clinic. The brief I had to go off was that she loves nature, the ocean, empowerment, dead trees, quiet, natural therapies, is the founder of a Type 1 diabetes community support group, has three daughters and a super strong circle of friends.
Balance and flow

Coleraine Country

1200 x 95cm Acrylic on Canvas

I was excited to be contacted by a staff member from Coleraine’s St Josephs Primary School to produce an artwork that reflected their principal’s connection to the Coleraine area, which I represented with the rolling hills and valleys, the school, represented by the Sticky Wattle which grows in the area and is on their school logo as well as the connection he has with Edenhope and Casteron schools which I represented with landmarks and gathering places. The cross represents his Christianity, values and beliefs and within the sun is his family, also with him embracing the children in what looks like flower petals.This was a beautiful surprise gift from the staff as the principal was leaving his role and moving towns.
Balance and flow

‘Ceremony’

91cm x 91cm Acrylic on Canvas

This original acrylic painting on canvas is about six tribes coming together for a ceremony in the sandunes during a full moon. It includes the grains of sand that still hold the essence of the songlines, traditions, movement, and culture within them.
Mother Earth

Moonlit Majesty

46cm x 61cm Acrylic on Canvas

Karen from Healing Day Therapies asked me to create a painting that told the story of her connection to the Southern Right Whale and the stars. I was so pleased to present her with the completed painting that showed the whale nurturing its young, being its protecter and strength, guiding its calf under the full moon which connects to the tides and under the stars which hold their dreaming on their special journey together. 
spring

Ngathoo- ngat Meereng, Ngathoo- ngat Karrayt’
My Country My Medicine

180cm X 95cm Acrylic on Canvas

This colorful narrative piece is proudly hanging up at Bridget Clancy’s - the Ear, nose and throat specialist’s practice at 55 Banyan St Warrnambool. Bridget asked if I could create her an artwork to hang in her waiting room that would help her indigenous clients feel welcome and respected. This large piece tells stories of Bunjil the Eagle and his creations, the protection, gathering and passing on of culture, the Framlingham Aboriginal Mission, where my Grandmother was born. The hand represents resilience and identity, the footprints are of our ancestors who roamed our lands thousands of years before us, including the ocean and the middens at Moyjil, the stars that hold our dreaming stories, the eels making their migration from the Hopkins River to the sea, Tower Hill, emu and kangaroo tracks, connection to country and the Coastal Banksia. The Boomerang represents always coming back to country and to culture and in the centre the gathering place has medicine leaves within it, representing the healing qualities our land has as well as Bridget’s practice.
landscape

‘Grounded’

51cm X 68cm Acrylic on Canvas

This piece is about an Aboriginal woman feeling proud, comfortable in her own skin, connected to her culture and nature, feeling grounded like a tree with its roots connecting her to Mother Earth. Feeling so connected, she becomes the tree.
spring

SOUTH WEST HEALTHCARE’S RECONCILIATION ACTION PLAN ARTWORK

I am proud to be the artist chosen by Southwest Healthcare to create an artwork that represents their Reconciliation Action Plan.

To me the South West Healthcare’s Reconciliation Action Plan is this service and it’s staff making a pledge.

A pledge to come together to build their awareness and understanding of Aboriginal culture. It’s also about working together to create hope, that through learning, and an unwavering commitment to equality, respect and inclusiveness, this builds trust and relationships in order for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal people to walk and work side by side to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal people for a unified future that creates a ripple effect throughout the community.

Birthing Sticks

Southwest Healthcare approached me to design and create some Birthing Sticks that could be given to Aboriginal children born at the Hospital as a keepsake. These Birthing Sticks will be given to families with the story about what the design on the sticks mean as well as acknowledging the Peek Whoorrong country they have been born on.

THE POLES

PRIVATE COMMISSION WORK

I was contacted in mid-October last year by a couple that wanted to commission a local person to do 4 wooden feature poles for the entranceway for their new house.

I hadn’t done this sort of thing before but was up for the challenge. I then had an overwhelming feeling that I needed to try wood burning so I could combine both wood burnt designs and paint on the poles.

After a practice and a cup of courage I thought I would be able to pull this off. And I exceeded all my own expectations. Each pole is organic wood, having its own beautiful natural curves and characteristics.

The fist pole I did was a Protection pole with 10 different shields around it to represent protection of their house.

The second pole I did was a Welcome pole, with the word welcome in our local language burnt into it. My design had gathering places on it to represent people coming to their house and the journey lines represented the journeys people made to get there. The boomerangs represented people coming back like a boomerang.

The third pole had a vet theme to represent her husband’s work as a vet. This had a mixture of native animals, domestic animals and farm animals as well as their tracks. The hands represented the hands-on approach as well as his healing hands he uses to help animals. The fourth pole has a Nature Dreaming theme. It has a woman in the tree, who is grounded by her roots and connection to country. When she gives herself permission to be spiritual and set her spirit free, she morphs into a bird and fly’s for the light. Her spirit guides are watching over her around the sun.

On the back it is a night time theme, acknowledging the connection between the moon and the tides and the majestic whale breaching in the moonlight. I have also included nocturnal animals swinging from the stars.
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