The artist is a Thaayore and Mungkan woman whose traditional country is to the north of Pormpuraaw around the Holroyd River.
My ancestors connect me to this place. I speak 4 indigenous languages plus English. My people have been here forever. My father is Wik Iiyanh who are fresh water people from the upper Holroyd river. My mother is Kugu Munhin or salt- water people from north Holroyd River. Both my parents were born in the bush. My dad worked in the stockyard before he met my mom. He worked as a drover for no wages only food. Mom worked in the old hospital cooking for the white staff. My dad lived with his mother my grandmother. When "nan" passed away he met my mom. I have four sisters and two brothers. When we were young our parents would take us all on long walk about journeys. We would travel for weeks. They would take us to our traditional country. It was important for us to know it. I remember swimming across rivers holding onto floating logs. The rivers were home to many big crocodiles and it was a very dangerous. We were lucky and always seemed to get across safely. My generation is the last to go walk about in this way. Now the young people jump in a truck or boat and get there in a few hours instead of a few weeks. I have worked at our art centre from the beginning since 2010. I have served as the vice president of our management committee for 4 years. I love art and our centre. I make it because it is in my heart. I love bright colors because they look good and seem to change when you look at them. Making art reminds me of things like going bush. Every time I work on my art it is an experiment. It is always changing and surprises me when it is finished.
2011 A New Beginning, Australian Art Network Galleries at Canopy Artspace, Cairns Qld.
2013 Kinship Exhibition, Tanks Art Centre, Cairns Qld.