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South Stradbroke Island Indigenous Artist Camp 2016
Shifting Sands
SOUTH STRADBROKE ISLAND – THE BEDROOMS
By Claire Agale
Blue sky, green water and shifting sands
Give a timeless dignity and reverence that marks my briefest presence
In the vastness, I see my triviality and make apologies for my intrusion.
Blue sky, green water and shifting sands
Claim the mangroves, the waterways, swallowing up men and sea vessels.
The ghosts of the shipwrecked quietly keep watch over the ebb and flow of the tide.
Blue sky, green water and shifting sands
Gently enforce the superiority of nature and time.
The dunes rise and fall like waves, windswept from the north.
Blue sky, green water and shifting sands
Bring forth the abundance of life, nurturing a continuous unbroken process
Black mud balanced by the sun bleached bones of the midden
That lie desolate in the dunes’ depressions.
Blue sky, green water and shifting sands
Give way to the stillness of sunset
Golden light floods the dunes like majesty
Until the shroud of night embraces the land in a lover’s embrace.
Star speckled sky, black water and shifting sands
Give audience to the stirrings of the sand lizards
A chorus of night frogs lift their voices in unison
To sing a lullaby to Tagai who watches over the seasons.
Photo by Michael Aird
SHIFTING SANDS4
Mangroves Photo by Michael Aird
SOUTH STRADBROKE ISLAND INDIGENOUS ARTIST CAMP 2016 5
Sand Dunes − Midden Photo by Michael Aird
SHIFTING SANDS6
Brian Robinson
SOUTH STRADBROKE ISLAND INDIGENOUS ARTIST CAMP 2016 7
I had the amazing opportunity of mentoring and facilitating a series
of workshops with a group of enthusiastic, creatively engaged and
responsive Indigenous artists from the Gold Coast and northern NSW.
Shifting Sands – South Stradbroke Island Indigenous Artist Camp 2016
provided participating artists with an opportunity to develop artistic
interests and skills in an intensive artistic convergence at a remarkable
location some 30 minutes from the Gold Coast’s CBD.
A total of 20 artists, camp facilitators, mentors and cooks attended the
camp where creative tasks included landscape and still-life drawing,
printmaking (lino-cutting) and observation of printing techniques, an
introduction to large-scale public art projects as well as experimentation
with their own artistic media, which most artists brought themselves from
past experience and their need for a familiar medium to work with.
Day one was spent familiarising themselves with their surroundings
including ventures to various locations around the camp and island for
inspiration. Michael Aird, Hague Best and Lindy Salter (who all put the
history and terrain into perspective) gave a very informative talk about the
islands’ Indigenous history.
The remaining days were spent actively creating visual art and other unique
cultural expressions from poses of creative text and drawings, to prints,
photography and new media footage. Not to mention amazingly great food,
good company and lots of laughs and sand crabs (way to go Michael and Sel).
A series of nightly talks about anything and everything personal, artistic,
cultural and political was an important aspect of the camp as it encouraged
everyone’s engagement with public speaking and social interaction with
peers, colleagues and other professionals in the arts industry.
Opportunities such as this are few and far between so I must congratulate
and commend the City of Gold Coast in partnership with the Gold Coast
City Gallery for initiating such a worthwhile camp and for their proactive
approach to developing the artistic skills of local Indigenous artists. A big
thanks also goes to Jo-Anne Driessens and Michael Aird for their generous
support and tenacity overall with the camp’s development and like John
Graham would say . . . “Brian, everything is dancing mate, everything!”
Brian Robinson
INTRODUCTION
Photos by Michael Aird
SHIFTING SANDS8
CLAIRE AGALE
My experience of the camp has taught me the need to be confident, to
trust in my creative abilities, to trust in the process of creativity and have
faith in the outcome. I have learnt that if I follow these basic principles,
the authenticity and ownership woven into my work will be evident. The
Artist Camp has not only been a learning place but also a self-reflective
place. I have found there is so much to learn about oneself and it is only
when we begin to look inside, we see the hidden aspects of our hopes,
our dreams and what frightens us most.
South Stradbroke Island extended to us such rich offerings for inspiration
and artist expression. I was particularly moved by the sight of the midden.
I felt an almost reverence toward it, like a sacred, deeply spiritual place
that was deserving of respect. I felt privileged. The midden became the
stimulus for my poem titled Shifting Sands, as it stands in a timeless
reminder of the generations past and the inevitable progression of time
marked by the shifting sands of the dunes that surround it.
I love writing, I love words and stories and language that explore how
we see ourselves, our soaring triumphs and desperate failings. I am
particularly interested in recording oral histories in film or written form.
The Artist Camp has given me new confidence and opportunity to pursue
this passion. The question of identity and loss often comes up and over
the years I have written a number pieces on identity, particularly on my
own struggle to find identity as an adopted child in a European family.
The disconnection and loneliness I felt as a child has followed me into
adulthood. I have searched my whole life for my mother, I felt her absence
in every moment, and it influenced everything I did. Six months ago, I met
my beautiful mother and lonely spaces within me are melting away. One
of the most poignant and emotional moments was finding out the name
my mother gave me at birth, my name, who I am… for me, there is no
longer a question of identity. I am Felicia.
“EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN TRUTH”
SOUTH STRADBROKE ISLAND INDIGENOUS ARTIST CAMP 2016 9
Photo by Michael Aird
SHIFTING SANDS10
Indigenous Ingeneneos, 2016 Linocut printed with black ink, hand coloured 30cm x 30cm
SOUTH STRADBROKE ISLAND INDIGENOUS ARTIST CAMP 2016 11
GLENN BARRY
For me, there have been many cathartic moments through the benefits
of art. I didn’t find out about my Aboriginal heritage till my grandfather
passed away while I was in my mid 20s, so it was an initiation of fire.
Since this discovery with my Aboriginal identity, suddenly, the unknown
but definitely felt was out in the open in my mind and body. But looking
back now, I did have a hunch that something was going on.
This has been my drive ever since. Through my moeity, my clans, my
blood, my spirit, my ancestors − I am continually renewed into the real
person that I sense I am. It’s really interesting, as I find myself through the
eyes of others. The reflection that I see gives an honesty and depth that
supports my journey.
At the Artist Camp, I feel the growth of my core being gathered or
solidified together again, unlike sand falling through my fingers. When
sand is refined it can be turned to a solid in the form of glass or even a
mirror. Recollecting the scattered sum of the parts to reunify, to refine and
become one piece again – to utilise and share. I am healing. I am whole.
I use art as a communicative tool to work better with others and it has
allowed my interactions to bloom. I used to want to communicate, but
the words would get stuck in my throat like a frog. Now, through art –
my connection between head and heart have found a good balance and
flow. They are not stuck.
“I USE ART AS A
COMMUNICATIVE TOOL”
Photo by Michael Aird
SHIFTING SANDS12
GLENNYS BRIGGS
This was my second time attending the Artist Camp. It came at a time I was feeling
a need to re-energize myself. It gave me a real lift meeting new people/artists
and talking about our practices as a collective. I also had the opportunity to meet
industry people and discuss my practice with them. Since returning from the Artist
Camp I have been non-stop with exhibitions, projects and art talks.
You can start up with no idea and at the end of the day still end up with something
pleasing. I discovered oil inks. I’ve had a go at linocuts. My soul needed the trip
today, the sand, the water, the mangroves, the crabs, the fish, and there’s fresh
water running underneath you.
This body of work represents the relationship to place and the ever-changing tides
that bring in new knowledge of our cultural histories and practices that the First
Nations people are now revising and are becoming a large part of their everyday
life. The Dilly Bags that I use in my work are representative of the vessels that hold
our stories, which are fundamental to our way of being. I see the stories intertwined
within the fibers of the material of the Dilly Bag.
“MY SOUL NEEDED THE TRIP TODAY”
SOUTH STRADBROKE ISLAND INDIGENOUS ARTIST CAMP 2016 13
Photo by Michael Aird
SHIFTING SANDS14
First Day on Camp, 2016 Linocut printed with black ink, hand coloured 30cm x 30cm
SOUTH STRADBROKE ISLAND INDIGENOUS ARTIST CAMP 2016 15
I’m the new kid on the block and here I am, first time I’ve ever been
to an Artist Camp and I’m very privileged and very happy about it. Just
watching other people doing their artwork and finding out what inspires
them. I’m glad I’m here and getting to talk with everyone and building
my confidence up. I was looking into putting on my own art exhibition
and found out about this Artist Camp and so here I am. I’m interested in
running art workshops. I used to do art a while back when I was about
17 or 18 but I went off and played football and then became a plant
operator (I’m a bricklayer by trade) and forgot all about the artwork.
I hurt my back and was off work about six months. I wasn’t doing
anything, couldn’t do anything and I was just really down. My wife came
up to me and said “Why don’t you go back to doing your artwork; what
you used to do?” So I got back into my artwork so I could be proud
of it. Now I’ve got 30 paintings or so. I want to show my artwork and
show that we Indigenous people have got talent, you know! I’ve put my
paintings up for NAIDOC week at Robina library. I can’t wait. I’m just so
privileged it’s going to happen! I’m proud to show that we can get up off
our butts and do the work! We express ourselves with our heart.
I want to push myself to the limits and get my confidence going.
SYLVESTER COOK“I WANT TO PUSH MYSELF TO THE LIMITS”
Photo by Michael Aird
SHIFTING SANDS16
DELVENE COCKATOO-COLLINS“IT’S A PERSONAL CHALLENGE BEING HERE”
Sitting at the Midden, 2016Silk linoprint 30cm x 30cm
SOUTH STRADBROKE ISLAND INDIGENOUS ARTIST CAMP 2016 17
I can honestly say that I’m open to everyone’s influence here. I’m so
happy that Brian Robinson is here to mentor us and share his passion and
knowledge about art. It’s a personal challenge being here also, just being
open to whatever. I love the inspiration that happens here on camp!
It’s been good to see Brian’s process, the inks and press he uses. There’s so
much work that goes into lino printing. I’m appreciating how much work
he puts into his lino cut prints. It’s interesting to see how a big name artist
does what they do, and from a business end too.
We had Fiona Foley here last year and her words of advice really stuck
with me. She would say stuff like ‘take every opportunity’ and that advice
encouraged me to put myself out there for a couple of different things.
One was a project by Judy Watson to do with bones made of porcelain in
recognition of the early Aboriginal protester Anthony Martin Fernando.
Porcelain can be very sensitive and difficult to work with but Fiona’s words
came back to me and I said “Yes I’ll do it, I’ll try!” I was asked to make 60
bones, but it was very difficult and almost 150 broke, but I still got 60 done.
I spent a month just sitting there making it. The National Museum has just
recently purchased the work by Judy Watson titled ‘our skeletons in your
closets’ 2015. If Fiona hadn’t said those words to me at Artist Camp last
year, I would have said no to the project – and a few others too.
Last year’s camp gave me the confidence to try new things and to feel
that I can be part of new experiences and to test myself. Fiona provided
beeswax and charcoal to use. I just wouldn’t have thought to use
beeswax with ochre. I have been able to use high quality materials and
try things I wouldn’t normally consider. I love the inspiration that happens
here on camp! At last year’s camp some photos of my old people were
shown and now I feel I need to know that part of me and the connections
that go back. I’m drawn to my family history more and expressing that in
my work.
Photo by Michael Aird
SHIFTING SANDS18
For me it’s the artist’s responsibility to dissolve boundaries. The challenge I see (and not just for artists) is how do we dissolve boundaries but stay unique
and authentic to our Mobs? It is a very important challenge in very interesting times! All artists are up for celebrating and documenting this challenge,
this journey of the imagination and spirit. I am honoured to be one of them.
I’ve learnt to go bigger with my work. It’s a challenge to expand on my ideas and still keep the same rhythm as I have in smaller drawings. It’s good to
bounce ideas off each other.
I come from the Gold Coast here, the Goori part here. I lived up north, then in Brisbane, now back here. I was brought up by my mother with a very
strong sense of Aboriginal identity. She taught me to never ignore your Mob. I think I took my wellspring of talent for granted with all the heavy duty
drinking I did over the last three decades. I’ve just made it to dry land in the last 18 months and I’m so glad to be involved with the creative scene now.
It’s really something to me! I’ve clawed my way back and now it’s time to make a splash!
I don’t know what my future as an artist might be. The journey I’m on right now is a personal journey, and it’s so amazing! It’s overwhelming for me to
let all this expression out.
So to project that far into the future, to be honest I really don’t know, but I believe that I’m going to let it be good. My “thinga”, my person, my reason
for being, my mystery for being, says to me whatever happens, come what may, let it be good, and I’m sure I’ll let it be good.
JOHN GRAHAM“IT’S OVERWHELMING FOR ME
TO LET ALL THIS EXPRESSION OUT”
Photo by Michael Aird
SOUTH STRADBROKE ISLAND INDIGENOUS ARTIST CAMP 2016 19
An Ecology of Souls, 2016 Ink pen drawing on paper
SHIFTING SANDS20
Mangrove Mud and Sand Installation South Stradbroke Island, 2016Photo by Jo-Anne Driessens
Photo by Michael Aird
SOUTH STRADBROKE ISLAND INDIGENOUS ARTIST CAMP 2016 21
LIBBY HARWARD
Contextualising our work at the Artist Camp helps push our own limits.
It’s important to challenge each other. When we come together as artists
we have to learn to articulate our process of creating new work. It’s
important to have conversations and open up a new dialogue about art
and history and everything else. All the elements that go into the process
of creating art, even before you start, is important. With art and history
and politics it’s all about our story, and our context.
“IT’S ALL ABOUT OUR STORY,
OUR CONTEXT”
Guriba, Yunggulba, Yabruma: (ebb tide, flood tide, always doing), 2016Linocut printed with black ink
30cm x 30cm
SHIFTING SANDS22
ANTHONY JOHNSON
When I’m filming I want to tell the story
with moving pictures. I want to bring
words to life. I want people to understand
us through storytelling, music, dance, art,
pictorial, oral, film and with new technology.
I’m from the Kimberleys but I have Mob
from Queensland here and I want to try and
find them. It’s up to me to find them.
“I’M GETTING ENOUGH MATERIAL TOGETHER
TO MAKE A FEATURE FILM”
Photo by Michael Aird
SOUTH STRADBROKE ISLAND INDIGENOUS ARTIST CAMP 2016 23
Mysterious Being, 2016 Linocut printed with black ink
30cm x 30cm
SHIFTING SANDS24
Photos by Michael Aird
SOUTH STRADBROKE ISLAND INDIGENOUS ARTIST CAMP 2016 25
It has been one of my goals during the journey of my art career to go
into public art. Coming to the artist camp last year really prompted me
to step into that arena through the influence of our mentor Fiona Foley.
She totally inspired me to push that dream forward and make it a reality.
Since then I have done a little bit of public art and hopefully I’ll continue
to develop that.
I truly recommend artists to experience this camp! Getting together
in one place, the connections, the exchanging of stories. Getting to
know yourself better and other beautiful artists, you develop incredible
friendships and get inspired by one another. I would never have got to
know so many artists. There’s something special about coming here – your
soul, your spirit gets invigorated. Experiencing the artist camp will catapult
you into areas you might not have thought of – some doors close but
some open wide.
For me, showcasing my art through entering art prizes and art shows is
healthy. It’s icing on the cake when I win or my work sells. There’s the
recognition but another important element is seeing how my art is going
and how I’m tracking with other artists. I try and enter whenever I can, it
helps to build my name as an artist. I try and make every effort to have my
art out there as much as possible. Development wise it’s very important
for your advancement in the art industry. Learning new skills or a new
genre of art will help you develop really well as an artist. My motto is
“Never stop learning and keep developing your art!”
If you’ve got stories and songs from your country, paint that. But allow
yourself to create in your own style and expression too. We are so blessed
to have the richness of our heritage as our foundation and as artisans, we
can weave our life into the art we create. When creating art or anything
for that matter, you have to be true to yourself, your taught cultural
knowledge and your experiences – from that place you create from your
heart, soul and spirit.
Culture is living in you every day. Culture is knowing who you are, where
you come from and who you belong to, like our ancestors. We’ve got to
teach what culture is to our children and our grandchildren, it’s their life
and it’s their identity. This is my philosophy I suppose, to distinguish my art
through the inspiration and pride of my Torres Strait heritage.
Through my family, my faith, the exquisite earth we live on and the
breathtaking universe we as human beings are privileged to exist in
experiencing together.
L ISA SORBIE MARTIN“THERE’S SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT COMING HERE...
YOUR SPIRIT GETS INVIGORATED”
SHIFTING SANDS26
NEVILLE TORRISHEBA
My ancestry is from the Jabirr Jabirr people of Broome, Western Australia, so I’m
a long way from home. I’ve learned heaps here at the Artist Camp. It really is is an
honour and privilege to be selected.
I’ve been made very welcome by my peers and mentors and Yugambeh community
here on the Gold Coast.
Art helped me recover from a coma. It was my therapy and healing. It’s important to
continue to help grow, nurture and develop young and talented artists.
For my sculpture I’m picking up rubbish along the beach and on the sand dunes
and including that with the turtle made of drift wood to send a very clear message
about humanity’s obligation to land and sea. Our obligation to our children.
“I FEEL VERY WELCOMED HERE”
SOUTH STRADBROKE ISLAND INDIGENOUS ARTIST CAMP 2016 27
Photo by Michael Aird
Survivor, 2016Linocut printed with black ink, hand coloured30cm x 30cm
Wanderer, 2016Linocut printed with black ink, hand coloured
30cm x 30cm
SHIFTING SANDS28
Photo by Michael Aird
SOUTH STRADBROKE ISLAND INDIGENOUS ARTIST CAMP 2016 29
My family is Yiman and Gurreng Gurreng from central Queensland. I
grew up on the Sunshine Coast, then lived on the Gold Coast for several
years, and currently reside in Byron Bay. I draw a lot of inspiration from
the marine diversity of the southern Queensland and northern New South
Wales coastlines. The main theme in my work is the celebration of and
protection of the local marine environment. As a young person, I actually
wanted to be a Park Ranger, so I undertook an Applied Science degree. It
was during my time at university that I started exploring the world of art
and music. After university, I ran a business making didgeridoos.
Through all the carving and painting that I did on the didges, I developed
fundamental design skills that still underline my arts practice today −
although I now predominately work on canvas rather than on wood. I
used the Artist Camp as an opportunity to explore other mediums besides
canvas painting, such as printing and photography. I was engrossed with
the lino printing activities and spent most of my time at the camp testing
out different lino carving techniques. Creating prints appeals to me as
it has the versatility of working on canvas, yet it is a very tactile way of
working, which reminded me of my didge making days.
I’ve seen Brian Robinson’s work over the years and most people would
agree he’s an inspiration.
ANTHONY WALKER
“BEING TRUE TO YOURSELF IS HAVING A LOT
OF INTEGRITY WITH YOUR WORK”
SHIFTING SANDS30
As artists we feed off each other, everyone bounces. I used to work in an
art gallery in Casino. I helped run workshops teaching art and that but the
funding fell through. I lost my job but I haven’t stopped doing my art. I’ll
never stop.
My primary school years were spent in Windsor NSW where I was born.
When we got to north east NSW (my father’s country), my eyes were
wide open. It opened up my insides and everything just started coming
out. My shell was broken. Starting high school was when I picked up the
paintbrush.
My experience at the Artist Camp was a great one – and a spiritual one.
With great apprehension, I told my instincts to take a back seat so I could
progress. My body didn’t want to go so far from home alone. It was the
furthest I had ever been in a little boat on the water. I knew I was coming
to an old place.
I went barefoot, a comfort thing for me I think. Shoes and me don’t like
each other. I also believe that to connect fluidly with the old people, my
bare feet must be touching the ground.
Naturally being a bit shy, it took me a while to warm to the other artists.
I can’t help that. I am a very observant person. Aren’t most artists? I
eventually warmed to everybody. It was a wonderful thing to get to know
the other artists and see their different practices. To share and compare
and learn and teach with each other. Just like the old people did, in their
different but same way. Because there was no sole person in those days.
You were everybody. You were a collective of people.
I think the main thing I took from the camp was realising I can extend my
art practice into different areas, through techniques or subjects. And to
push myself a little bit more each time.
I would like to be more successful in my art and have some sort of
business which utilises my art skills. I want to be a famous artist, and just
be out there. That’s what I’m determined to achieve.
JAI DARBY WALKER“MY ART SPEAKS FOR ME A LOT”
Photos by Michael Aird
SOUTH STRADBROKE ISLAND INDIGENOUS ARTIST CAMP 2016 31
Midden, 2016 Linocut printed with black ink
30cm x 30cm
Ancestral Man, 2016 Charcoal on paper
Stradbroke Warrior, 2016 Watercolour background,
white and black pencil drawing
SHIFTING SANDS32
Photos by Michael Aird
“ I have watched the Stradbroke Island Artist Camp grow with the
guidance of the support crew and special guests. Through the
guidance of art experts and the participation of group members,
the event is gathering a presence. Through that experience, the
development and exchange of ideas has become the central
annual event that inspires and feeds many projects throughout
the year. The opportunity for the community to work alongside
artists is an experience to be remembered and cherished by all.”
Maureen Newton − Camp Elder and Mentor
Sand Dunes − Midden Photo by Michael Aird
SHIFTING SANDS36
Exhibition catalogue for Shifting Sands South Stradbroke Island Indigenous Artist Camp 2016 held at the Gold Coast City Gallery Exhibition 30 July − 18 September 2016
The Artist Camp is an initiative of the City of Gold Coast in partnership with the Gold Coast City Gallery to support the artistic development of our Indigenous artists
Text copyright © of the authors
Images courtesy of City of Gold Coast
All rights reserved by the copyright holders
Properly acknowledged quotations may be made
Queries regarding the republication of any material should be addressed to: City of Gold Coast Po Box 5042 GCMC QLD 9729
ISBN 1 74057 049 9
First published 2016 Designed by: Creative Arts City of Gold Coast Printed by: Printcraft, Brisbane
Cover Image: Neville Torrisheba Wanderer, 2016 Linocut printed with black ink, hand coloured 30cm x 30cm
Presenting Partner
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