Artist Statement
‘The earth has so much to tell us, if we choose to listen. My work celebrates the wisdom of Country, inviting viewers to be present, learn, and honour her stories. Reciprocity with Country and community are the guiding threads that weave through my practice. This intentional engagement informs my process, where each piece created is an offering. It is a slow, transformative progression that unfolds over time, guided by what these sentient beings want to share. Each artwork reflects the multi-layered history of my people and our enduring connection to Country. To me, ochre holds memory and spirit. It is a mirror of the land’s resilience and guidance, preserving stories and showing a path forward. Through my art, I hope to inspire you to walk upon the land with openness, respect, and an appreciation for the profound cultural knowledge and spirit it holds. I acknowledge and honour the deep connection that my people and all traditional owners have to this ancient medium, respecting the diverse cultural practices, protocols, and spiritual beliefs associated with ochres. This reverence guides my practice, ensuring it remains grounded in respect, care, and the wealth of knowledge that has been passed down
Bugalma - to heal
Ochre has many healing properties and was/is used extensively for healing. Bugalma represents the nurturing properties of our motherland and to one another, the fertility of the land and our culture. Just like water we have adapted and evolved, building a rich understanding how we communicate and care for our natural resources and our connections. We are all one and with this acceptance & understanding we can heal
Ochre Earth Pigments on Linen
91.5cm x 91.5cm
$6,000
The Yam is a vitally important source of food for our people, 2 varieties including a ground daisy plant and a climbing vine, both producing edible tuberous roots. Used as an antiseptic and for skin ailments. The botanical knowledges of our people is vast and still being discovered by western medicine today
kokabai - yam day
Ochre Earth Pigments on Linen
91.5cm x 91.5cm
$6,000
91.5cm x 91.5cm
$6,000
The Yam is a vitally important source of food for our people, 2 varieties including a ground daisy plant and a climbing vine, both producing edible tuberous roots. Used as an antiseptic and for skin ailments. The botanical knowledges of our people is vast and still being discovered by western medicine today
kokabai - yam nite
Ochre Earth Pigments on Linen
- to make a scar
76.3cm x 76.3cm
$5,000
Deliberately placed scar markings onto skin were made when one goes through ceremony around the transition of child to adult. A form of acknowledgement or rites of passage such as social status, familial group, tribe, ancestry, spirituality, and geography. Cicatrices, placed on both male & female were and still are in some remote regions important cultural rituals & can identify person's place in the community.
biringa
Ochre Earth Pigments on Linen
$4,500
The many layers of what is below our feet and the abundance of colour within our earth. The ochre layers take many thousands of years to form into the soft stone, clay and sand that is represented in this piece. Ochres hold their own memory and story, dalang is of great significance among our people. Each nation having a different relationship to it and the way we connect to & use it.
dalang - clay II
Ochre Earth Pigments on Linen
61.5cm x 61.5cm
wirobaliko - follow
61.5cm x 61.5cm
$4,500
Our waterways are sacred bodies and hold much wisdom, memory & truth. Wirobaliko is an imprint of how the water follows the layout and story of the land, how it shapes it. How everything is a continuum in the pattern of the landscape, it’s stories and its scars. The natural beauty and the marks we leave upon it.
Ochre Earth Pigments on Linen
minmora - grinding stones Ochre Earth Pigments on Linen
61.5cm x 61.5cm
$4,500
Minmora represents our traditional grinding stones used to make our foods, medicines and paints for ceremonies. A large round or oval stone is used on top of the dish to trap the ochre or seeds/berries and ground or crushed into small particles. These are still used today in some communities. With many being held in museums and government institutions.
II - grinding stones
61.5cm x 61.5cm
$4,500
Minmora represents our traditional grinding stones used to make our foods, medicines and paints for ceremonies. A large round or oval stone is used on top of the dish to trap the ochre or seeds/berries and ground or crushed into small particles. These are still used today in some communities. With many being held in museums and government institutions.
minmora
Ochre Earth Pigments on Linen
$1,800
Sometimes referred to as a coolamon tree the durobby has bright red/pink flowers with large white fleshy fruit with pink inside. This is a large shady evergreen and an important plant for our people. Fruiting when the weather starts to cool with both bark & leaves used for medicine.
durobby - watermelon tree seed
Ochre Earth Pigments on Linen
30.5cm x 30.5cm
We reflect the ebb and flow of water and its life force. Our relationships with each other, our kin, and our communities. The dynamic convergence symbolises the richness of diversity and interconnectedness. Through its flows, we are reminded of the intricate web of life, the importance of reciprocity, and our shared responsibility to protect this vital force for future generations.
garary – flow Ochre Earth Pigments on Linen
30.5cm x 30.5cm
$1,800
$1,800
Stars are the homes of our ancestors. We look skyward for many lessons and are deeply connected to its teachings. Observing our solar system tells us of our seasonal calendar, changes in temperature, tidal occurrences and other significant indicators, plant & animal, guiding our practises and lore.
muni – stars
Ochre Earth Pigments on Linen
30.5cm x 30.5cm
