More than 50 pieces of artwork from more than 20 Aboriginal artists will be showcased as part of the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation's first ever art exhibition on Thursday.
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Works on display, which include an eclectic mix of paintings, weavings and digital art forms, have been created by Wadawurrung youngsters right through to respected Wadawurrung elders.
Wadawurrung traditional owner and artist Jenna Oldaker, who has four pieces exhibited, said it was "exciting" to have such an event go ahead.
"It'll be the very first time that we're having all our members come together to have their own exhibit and what makes it really exciting is that it's not just people you may think are artists themselves, it's people that are exhibiting for the very first time, or people that may not have had maybe the confidence or the ability to have this opportunity," Oldaker said.
One of her works on display include a Aboriginal dot painting titled Tahwol Mon.garrk, which depicts a vibrant portrayal of a spiky echidna.
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Oldaker said she was inspired to create this particular piece due to her work with young children, her love for the egg-laying mammal and the chance to combine the two.
"The echidna is a real favorite of mine and I do a lot of work with children and in kindergartens and they love the sort of native animals so I was really inspired by their ideas and being able to tune into them and really sort of connect with them on that level through art," she said.
While Oldaker still considers herself very much a novice artist, having only pursued art in a full-time capacity in the past two years, she said she had always been creative.
"My grandmother, Aunty Violet McPherson, she's the oldest living Wadawurrung elder currently, she's 95, so she's incredible and she taught me when I was young how to weave and how to crochet, knit, craft and do all these amazing sort of traditional things as well," she said.
Oldaker said it was her grandmother's influence which served as the catalyst for her to take up art more professionally as well as use her skills as a legacy for Wadawurrung heritage.
"Growing up you go into different directions but in the the last few years, especially as she's gotten older, I guess, I just felt a bit more of a responsibility, I think, to just sort of carry on the traditions of my culture."
The Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation art show will be held from October 27 to November 30 at the Mercure Hotel. Entry is free.
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Malvika Hemanth
Malvika has a strong interest in covering stories on welfare, cost of living pressures and the arts. She works on the unceded lands of the Wadawurrung people and pays her respect to elders past, present and emerging.
Malvika has a strong interest in covering stories on welfare, cost of living pressures and the arts. She works on the unceded lands of the Wadawurrung people and pays her respect to elders past, present and emerging.
