Renowned Wiradjuri artist mentors future generations

The Wagga Wagga Art Gallery has joined with Aunty Cheryl Penrith to host a hands-on creative arts program with renowned Wiradjuri artist Aunty Lorraine Connelly-Northey.

The Wiradjuri and First Nations Creative Program is an eight-week event that started last year.

Aunty Cheryl Penrith said it is important for the community to be involved, especially those who want to work in the creative arts industry.

“We can share so much with them. And it’s just a matter of people coming and finding out what they want, what they’re interested in and what they might need help with,” Aunty Cheryl said.

“It feels wonderful, and I love coming to the Art Gallery. After going through Covid, being back together and being creative is wonderful.”

In honour of Reconciliation Week Aunty Cheryl said, “reconciliation is everybody’s business and we should be walking forward together.

Aunty Lorraine Connelly-Northey has had a professional arts practice for more than 20 years. She uses her cultural knowledge to create artwork. Her extensive experience with a range of art materials will be applied throughout the program.

“We as Wirajduri and other Aboriginal people who live in the area seem to think all we have is desert art, but it is actually from the middle of Australia, ” she said.

“I’m trying to share with people; we have our own stories that our elders have passed down to us as well in this region.

“When we’ve expressed ourselves with art, we feel like all we have is desert art.”

Aunty Lorraine said her first work was based on desert art and she was not comfortable with it.

“We have our own stories and we can slowly replace the desert art with our own patterns and designs that we come up with and are allowed to use,” she said.

“It will be harder and it will take longer, but I think our desert artist cousins will be happy with us that we encourage our own to find our way.”

Aunty Lorraine encourages all Wirajudri and other First Nations community members to come along to the program.

“Most people know Aunty Cheryl and when they come through the Gallery doors, they can be comfortable. They can meet an artist like myself and work alongside Gallery staff and artist Maryanne Gray,” she said.

“With Maryanne, people can have different sessions like painting, drawing and pottery.”

The senior contemporary Aboriginal artist said the program is an opportunity to bring the creative side out of people and was important for those who may have finished school early.

“It is like a second chance to come along and have a go with the actual people around you, with someone like myself who has exhibited nationally and internationally,” she said.

Aunty Lorraine said people don’t need to be artistic and the program is also a valuable opportunity to visit the Gallery and see what other artists are doing.

“[You may realise] the potential that you have when you see people’s arts on the walls or sculptures on the floors, and that you can make a livelihood out of it,” she said.

“I live off my art. It is hard work and takes time, but it’s all worth it.

“What would it take for you to become an artist? Where are you at and what will it take to get you there?”

Aunty Lorraine said the creative program shares many aspects of what Reconciliation Week represents.

“It’s important that the Aboriginal people involved in programs like this are available to take up activities for Reconciliation Week,” she said.

“We are all artistic, have something there perhaps deep down more than others.”

Ms Gray said the program is also a way to break down barriers for those who don’t have an art background, don’t understand how it works or are too intimidated to visit the Gallery.

“We want to encourage people to come and feel comfortable,” she said.

“And Aunty Lorraine is here to mentor and help either established artists or emerging artists or even people thinking about doing art.

“We’ve been on walks, we talk about the flora, look at what the Indigenous people might have done by the river and how we use that as inspiration for the artwork.”

Ms Gray said it has been tricky to get a creative demographic as last year; the program focused on young people.

“It is hard at the moment in Wagga because CSU (Charles Sturt University) has lost its creative arts degree,” she explained.

The Art Gallery received funding from Create New South Wales last year with the help of Aunty Lorraine’s artistic reputation to run The Wiradjuri and First Nations Creative Program.

The free creative program will run every Tuesday until 21 June from 10 am to 2 pm at the Wagga Wagga Art Gallery.

All First Nations Peoples (18+ years) interested in making art are encouraged to attend. No experience is required. Visit the website for more information.