14 local First Nations artists and designers you should know about
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07.07.2022

14 local First Nations artists and designers you should know about

These First Nations painters, visual artists and designers belong on every art lover's radar.

This week we celebrate NAIDOC Week 2022. NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all to reflect on how far we have come in representing and giving voice to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and issues important to their communities.

This year’s theme of NAIDOC Week is “Get up, stand up, show up” which aims to gather support to secure reforms for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The theme also celebrates the many people in the community who have driven and led change for Indigenous Australians across generations.

In celebration of NAIDOC Week, we’re highlighting a few First Nations artists and designers – some emerging, some established – who are transforming the local creative scene and paving the way for future Indigenous creatives (and remember, this is only a small list of the many deadly brands out there!).

Lowell Hunter

Lowell Hunter, known creatively as The Salty One, is a proud Nyul Nyul man originally from the Kimberley region in Western Australia. This year Lowell was recognised as this year’s NAIDOC Creative Talent Award recipient, lauded for the way he channels his passion about traditional dance into art that connects Country and culture.

Practising traditional dance since the age of ten, Lowell has uses his feet to stamp, hop and carve the sand to create vast contemporary artworks that are integrated into the landscape and captured for posterity with drone photography. Years of cultural dancing are channelled into his sand works, and he carries a beat as he walks through the sand and creates art that connects to Country and culture.

“My artwork is an expression and sharing of culture, the stories of family, my identity as a Saltwater Man and connection to Country,” he explains.

“I create my artwork along the surf coast to nurture my connection to the ocean and to create a space for learning, sharing and healing. I involve my children in the creative process, to pass on these powerful stories and to learn about our Culture so they can become empowered and strong in their identity as First Nation’s young people,” says Lowell.

Sharing meaningful stories of his culture in Wadawurrung Country, his prints, framed canvases and merchandise are truly sensational embrace culture and way of healing.

Lowell also teaches other dancers how to create art. He recently partnered with the Koko dance troupe, a group for young Aboriginal boys from Warrnambool in Victoria. Together they created a specially commissioned piece that featured the shapes of eels and whales, a homage to the storytelling traditions of the Eastern Maar people, the original custodians of parts of Victoria’s southwest.

In addition to creating art, Lowell delivers cultural strengthening programs in schools and facilitates interactive sand art and culture workshops with students on the beach.

Check it out via his website here.

Deanne Gilson

Dr Deanne Gilson is a proud Wadawurrung woman, emerging elder, cultural educator and award-winning visual artist from Ballarat with thirty-five years of experience who should definitely be on your radar.

She primarily works in painting, fabric design (Kulin Seasons), clay, sculpture (public art), film and photography, but also facilitates Welcome to Country & smoking ceremonies, cultural awareness training, art and education workshops (all ages) on Mar-ni-beek (Country).

Gilson’s contemporary artworks aim to reconnect back to traditional stories, in particular her Creation Story given to her by her mum Marlene. Along with using marks found on ancestral artefacts, thus revealing cultural knowledge of women’s business and ceremony, while as the same time reflecting the colonial gaze as a way to strengthen and regain her identity back.

Reviving ochre painting across Wadawurrung Country and creating a platform for healing, acceptance, reconciliation and strength. Stating that “my art is part of my Dreaming and ceremony, always was, always will be.”

“The colours of country are highly personal and reclaim my culture that was missing from my early life. Each colour links to the act of ceremony, in particular the use of white ochre,” Dr Gilson said.

“Using elements of country within my art practice is really positive because you’re walking on country, you’re gathering, you’re sourcing your materials and you’re connecting to them as you’re sourcing them. It’s a deeper level of art for me because I’m on my traditional country – my ancestral lands.”

Working in and out of western genres, like still life painting and traditional stone circles, Gilson was the first Wadawurrung artist to bring back traditional marks and ancestral stories within her art practice after colonisation, along with teaching her mum Marlene Gilson how to paint.

An emerging elder in her community, Gilson has just received three awards including a community award for her art and teaching over 10,000 students about her culture and bringing positive change and awareness of Aboriginal people through art.

Currently, Gilson’s work is being celebrated in the exhibition Wadawurrung Dja: Awakening Country which is on display at the National Wool Museum until November 2022. This very special exhibition features 20 original paintings and textile works that reflect Dr Gilson’s love for Dja (Country), her connection to place, and her family’s knowledge and connection to cultural heritage.

Find out more about Deanna Gilson here.

 

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Kait James

Kait James is a proud Wadawurrung woman and award-winning contemporary artist whose artworks demand your attention.

With a love of textiles, colour and embroidering kitsch found materials, her current work focuses on presenting Indigenous perspectives with familiar pop-cultural references using Aboriginal Souvenir Tea Towels from the 1970-80s that generalise and stereotype her culture.

Utilising Punch Needling techniques with predominantly wool and cotton, humour and vivid colours, Kait addresses the way white western culture has dominated Australia’s history, and how Australia and the world perceives our First Nations’ peoples. She endeavours to develop and use her art in ways that encourage responsiveness, unity and optimism within and beyond Indigenous communities.

In 2019, Kait was awarded the Craft Victoria Emerging Artist award and the Lendlease Reconciliation Award, Koorie Art Show.

You can hear Kait James reflect on the recent Souvenirs series in a video interview courtesy of the Geelong Gallery here.

Check out Kait’s website here.

 

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Norm Stanley

Norm Stanley is a proud Kurnai Wotjobaluk man living and creating on Wadawurrung Country.

Well known and well respected across the region, Norm is a musician, artist and storyteller, as well as a proud father of 5 children. He has worked in many areas, but teaching his culture is his passion. Norm follows in the footsteps of his ancestors by sharing the stories of land, life and culture through the many different art forms he practises, including the didgeridoo, Aboriginal art carving and painting.

“Our stories are the oldest stories in the world. Our ancestors passed these stories down to us over thousands of years and across hundreds of generations. Now we have a role to play, we have become the holders of these stories. We are now The Keepers of the flame.”

With more than 30 years of experience in education music and art, Norm is perhaps most well known for a program called “A Walk on Country”. Facilitated by Norm for a number of years, this program is delivered to over 2500 children and families over 4 – 6 weeks each year at the You Yangs located at a beautiful culturally and spiritually significant part of Wadawurrung Country South Western Victoria.

See Norm in the video below from the Geelong Arts Centre where he discusses creating art on Wadawurrung Country and explores what Reconciliation means to him.

Discover more from Norm here.

Jenna Oldaker – Murrup Art

Providing power and unity through vibrant artworks, Jenna Oldaker is a Wadawurrung Traditional Owner and contemporary visual artist that you need to know about.

Through her art, Jenna expresses her deep connection and love for her culture, country, and heritage. Every piece she creates comes from her heart and strong connection to Wadawurrung culture. Her passion is to create each work with its own individual story and meaning. A simple scroll on her Instagram feed and you’ll see just that.

She works under the artist name Murrup Art, which is the Wadawurrung word for spirit. “The reason I chose the name Murrup Art is because I feel as though my art comes from my ancestors and their spirits through me. I am sharing our culture, our stories, our spirit through my artwork. To be able to do so is the greatest gift of all”

Based in Ballarat on Wadawurrung Country, Jenna uses a mixture of both traditional and contemporary colours to create these unique and detailed artworks. Working primarily with acrylic paints on canvas, Jenna creates pieces using a variety of forms and dimensions, also branching out into installations, outdoor displays, clapsticks and custom pieces.

While all that is absolutely amazing, Jenna also volunteers at schools and kindergartens, teaching young humans about Wadawurrung culture and art through their own creativity.

If you prefer to see these beautiful painting up close, you’ll currently find Jenna’s works on show at Anglesea Arts Space as part of the NAIDOC exhibition ‘Show Up’, featuring three other artists on this list. The exhibit runs until July 17 so be quick.

Explore Jenna’s artworks here.

 

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Indya Hayes – The Minority Co

Based in Ballarat on Wadawurrung Country, Indya Hayes is an Aboriginal, African American and Native American identifying woman and the creator of The Minority Co. –  a clothing label that focuses on raising awareness around the discrimination and prejudice faced by minority groups.

With an African-American father and an Indigenous mother, Indya started the brand after feeling anguish for her community in the wake of George Floyd’s death and the Black Lives Matter protests, amongst the other displays of police brutality and racism. She knew she had to do something.

Feeling like nothing was being done to help her communities, in America or Australia, she started making clothing to spark conversations and questions and to make a statement without even saying a word. Starting out just on Instagram with jumpers, Indya’s business has flourished, with her making several hand-embroidered unisex garments that put First Nations causes in the spotlight. You’ll find statements like ‘Always Was, Always Will Be’, ‘Deadly’, ‘Deadly Tidda Energy’, ‘Empowered Women Empower Women’, No More. Know More’, ‘Don’t Be Sorry Be Better’, with a bunch of ally friendly options.

“This brand is a representation of me and what I stand for, I want better for my people so I’m trying to send a message, create debates and start conversations to make a change in this world through statement jumpers,” she says.

“I’m still learning, but this brand is more than nice looking jumpers, it is supporting a powerful movement and the call to make a much needed and extremely late change in society. We need to ensure that every single life matters. I want, I NEED, to be apart of that change. With these products comes a responsibility, the responsibility to educate yourself and to educate others. When people ask “why do you only think black lives matter?” or anything similar, have that come back, educate them and put them in their place so it creates conversation and debate to spark the change.”

If all that wasn’t enough, a portion of the profits go towards supporting Indigenous education projects.

Check out the range online here.

 

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Billy-Jay O’Toole – Papul Art

Capturing the attention of the entire region and no doubt the rest of the country, Billy-Jay O’Toole is a local indigenous artist who aims to educate people about his culture and love for land through his art.

Based in Geelong on Wadawurrung Country, Billy-Jay uses striking colour combinations and symbols to create precise and detailed works. You’ll often notice a colour palette of vibrant greens, blues, reds and browns, and birds and other elements of nature in every piece.

Creating commissioned works in different forms, sizes and media using acrylic colours, his artwork has been featured on water fountains at Deakin University, Corio Community Sports Club indigenous round jumper as well as the Geelong Cats jumper in previous years, signs, boomerangs, murals, steel decking and even on a tennis court on the Bellarine.

Showcasing his art right across the region, his most recent collaborations have seen him design Tom Hawkins football boots, Indigenous Guernsey for Ballarat Miners, and participating in the aforementioned art exhibition ‘Show Up’ alongside Jenna Oldaker.

Working full-time as a cultural heritage representative for Wadawurrung is what motivates and inspires Billy-Jay’s art, sharing stories of country.

“It’s always a honour to have my art showcased at events, but the real thing that is inspires me is my family watching them follow me on my journey.”

A real talent, immerse yourself in the magic of his artwork here.

 

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Sarah O’Callaghan – Sarah Jane Designs

Sarah O’Callaghan AKA Sarah Jane is a proud Panninher Woman of the North Midland Nation, living on Wathaurong Land on the Surf Coast.

Based in Torquay, Sarah is an Indigenous and resin artist, crafting a range of beautiful pieces under the brand name Sarah Jane Design. It’s likely you’ve seen her works at local weekend markets across the region over the years.

Working with resin, Sarah is able to create depth, dimension, and a glossy, reflective surface in her works, from boxed framed resin art pieces and port holes, to earings and homewares like serving boards, clocks and coasters. Building upon these distinct formal properties, Sarah utilises layering techniques and the balance between transparent and opaque to explore such themes as nostalgia, identity, healing, growth, and more.

More recently Sarah has been sharing her stunning Aboriginal artworks, painting with brown and neutral colours full of richness and vibrancy that represent her connection their land and culture.

“The Panninher tribe is where my fathers heritage runs deep in the north midland nation around Launceston,” she shares.  “Something I am quite passionate about and I can’t wait to take you on my next journey to find out more and explore the culture and art.”

While this is clearly just the beginning for Sarah’s journey into Aboriginal art, we can’t wait to see where it takes her.

Check out her Instagram here.

Nathan Patterson – Diwana Dreaming

Nathan Patterson is a proud Wagiman man from Torquay on Wadawurrung country. His mother is from Pine Creek in the Northern Territory where the Wagiman tribe are traditional land owners.

Looking to his creativity, Nathan is the proud creator and owner of Diwana Art and Design, an innovative Aboriginal art and design company. Inspired by the Bush and its inhabitants, Nathan chose to name his business Diwana after his son, which also means “Wedge-tail Eagle” which is his totem symbol.

A talented artist, Nathan’s style is a mixture of indigenous symbols and western brush strokes, while using a modern colour palette on various non-traditional mediums such as feathers, wood and rock. His art speaks of the ancient Dreamtime stories of his people while drawing from his love of the bush and its wildlife. Nathan’s art brings us back to our connection with nature and reminds us of our beginnings, while each of his pieces is a collectors item and transcends generations.

As a well-known local artist, Nathan’s art has featured on the jerseys of the Australian Football League (AFL) teams such as Geelong Cats, Collingwood Magpies, Essendon Bombers and Richmond Tigers during the AFL Indigenous rounds. He even designed the album cover for Xavier Rudd’s newest album ‘Jan Juc Moon’ and painted the backdrop for Rudd’s current tour which is travelling across the entire country before going International.

Nathan is also participating in the aforementioned art exhibition ‘Show Up’ alongside Jenna Oldaker and Billy-Jay O’Toole so make sure you check it out.

Until then, browse his artworks over Instagram here.

 

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Jessi Rebel

Jessi Rebel, a proud Wiradjuri artist, living on Wadawurrung country who grew up on the Mid North Coast of NSW on Biripi Country, and moved down to the Surf Coast of Victoria in early 2016.

Currently a member at The Hue and Cry Collective in Geelong, the past five years have seen Jessi developing her artistic practice alongside connecting more deeply to her Wiradjuri culture.

“My passion for art and exploring my culture came through my Aunty Lisa Evans, who is a First Nations artist. She has always shared her creative journey and knowledge of culture with me, and I am proud to be carrying it with me on my own journey.”

Undoubtedly one of our region’s most exciting emerging artists, her rich contemporary artworks flow with her connection to Country, the land and the sea. Painting acrylic on canvas and on calico fabric, her work is bold, bright and full of passion and connection to country. Mainly creating beautiful commission pieces, she is slowly expanding into youth arts programs and mural works. She’s even got an online shop if you like what you see.

A passionate surfer and youth worker, Jessi is driven by her love of being connected to the land and the ocean; and it shows through her truly stunning creations. Currently studying a Bachelor of Arts Therapy, when she’s not busy studying or painting, you can find her in the ocean or adventuring around Wadawurrung Country with my dog Asher.

There’s nothing you can’t love about Jessi Rebel.

Find out more here.

Bri Pengarte Apma Hayes – Ntulye Art

Ntulye Art is the artist moniker behind emerging Arrernte artist Bri Pengarte Apma Hayes. Based in Geelong, Wathaurong country, Bri is sharing her love for both culture and art through a variety of pieces including Emu eggs, coasters, journals, painted mirrors, shoes, as well as painting, prints and commissioned pieces.

Named after her great Nana Minnie, Ntulye Art honours Bri’s nana and her family, having learned the practice from her father when she was younger.

“This name has a lot of significance to me as I was named after my great Nana Undeyla, this name has various spellings (Unndulia, Undahlia, Undoolya) but they all mean the same thing, this name means shadow in Arrernte,” she says.

Using mostly blue and earthy tones, Bri’s artist ability to convey cultural connection is something that deserves to be seen and heard.

Quickly taking her from emerging to wildly recognised, this year Bri designed the Melbourne Vixens’ 2022 First Nations dress, capturing the nation with a stunning design representing togetherness, fearlessness, and resilience. Represented in Bri’s artwork for First Nations Round are three significant influences: dot art specific to her country in Alice Springs; the Melbourne Vixens uniform colours; and painting styles specific to Victoria.

If that wasn’t enough to put her in the spotlight, she also recently won the Victoria NAIDOC poster design competition, which has seen her design take pride of place up on Arts Centre Melbourne’s super banner for the duration of NAIDOC Week.

Check it out here.

 

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Bek Lasky & Ruby Evans – Soul Sister Co

Soul Sister Co is an Indigenous-owned company created by two strong and inspiring First Nations women, Bek Lasky & Ruby Evans, focusing on ethically made, clothing and apparel.

Bek is a proud Wakaya woman who was born and raised on Wadawurrung Country, and Ruby is a proud Yorta Yorta woman who was born and raised on Wadawurrung Country, making one seriously strong and inspired duo.

With a selection of comfy tees, hoodies, trackies and crewnecks, Soul Sister Co aims to empower, motivate and inspire young people through their designs and their Aboriginal culture, and are especially motivated to inspire young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls that they are capable of achieving their wildest dreams.

While their business has flourished over the past year, seeing them sell out of numerous products time and time again, they’ve just given us one more reason to love them with the launch of their monthly podcast, ‘That’s The Tea Sis’. Dedicated to continuing their mission of being their real authentic selves through their platforms, the podcast is a culturally safe platform to share stories, talk opening about mental health and racism, and educate the uneducated as much as they can.

“This has been a long time coming but we are so excited to be embarking on this journey. It most definitely is scary and anxiety triggering but if we stay in our comfort zones forever, life won’t change.”

Visit the website here and listen to the podcast here.

Gerard Black

Gerard Black is a proud Worimi man. Gerard grew up in Torquay and has a deep connection to Wadawurrung Country, where he has been nurtured and grown.

Working in a variety of media, Gerard’s interest in art started at school, but he spent time as a builder and only later returned to his art roots to become an internationally recognised tattoo artist and more recently a fine artist. After a 10 year career as a tattoo artist, Gerard is now focusing on his painting, drawing and digital art.

His work reflects his Indigenous background, storytelling and his love of nature and draws on his strong design background from tattooing to produce a unique style of art. This together connects ancient Indigenous art with modern design and medium, bringing them together into the future, creating a new modern style promoting reconciliation and connection.

Gerard’s work establishes a link between landscapes, reality and the spirit within, as Gerard often uses actual topographic maps as the basis for his artwork. He uses the physical colours, shapes and landmarks as a jumping off point. He then uses ancient designs and patterns to symbolise the different aspects of his art, tapping into his indigenous heritage with designs, shapes, colours and themes.

Every single work of art that Gerard produces has a story connecting the art to a specific place, area or theme, every stroke has meaning, nothing is random. Gerard has won awards for his highly detailed and meaningful tattoos, and this award-winning skill has now translated into the incredibly intricate art he does today. His most recent artworks have included commissioned murals, the Newcastle Knights Indigenous NRL Jersey and a beautiful collaboration with Lowell Hunter. Gerard is also participating in the aforementioned art exhibition ‘Show Up’ alongside Jenna Oldaker, Nathan Patterson and Billy-Jay O’Toole so it’s a must-see.

Find out more here.

 

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Tarryn and Kelsey Love – Koorroyarr Arts

Sisters, Tarryn and Kelsey Love, bring their own individual interpretations to the fore, a non-linear journey through culture, where time and space is freely shared to honour place and Country. They created Koorroyarr Arts to encompass the idea of being sisters and Gunditjmara women continually learning and seeking knowledge of their culture, while using art to channel this connection.

Tarryn Love, a proud Gunditjmara Keerray Woorroong, creates from an archive of knowledge that honours First Nation people’s connection to place.

“First Nation peoples are the original storytellers and the original archivists of our knowledge. The songs of country began and continue in the voices of its custodians,” Tarryn says.

“My responsibility is to access, engage, interpret, add and protect the stories of my culture and express them through my art. It is within these actions that keep the songs alive.”

Kelsey Love, also a strong Gunditjmara Keerray Woorroong woman, draws upon her connection to water and rivers, and the ecosystems that rely on these environments as a major inspiration for her work.

“I use the lines in my work to represent the direction, current, flow and movement of water to express how everchanging and evolving it is. I see it as a metaphor for our own continuous learning, our appreciation for Country, Culture and respect for our First Nations people as an infinite and evolving process,” says Kelsey.

Living on Wadawurrung country, together they have a passion for reviving their traditional language and endeavour to incorporate this into their multi-disciplinary artworks.

You can DM them here for purchases or to seek commissioned work.

 

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Acknowledgment Of Country

Forte acknowledges the traditional owners of the land on which we live, work, play and grow upon. We acknowledge all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and pay our deepest respects to elders, past, present, emerging and of the future.

Alway was, Always will be!

You can find out more about NAIDOC week here.