Indigenous artist Karissa Undy selling her work. Photo: Supplied.
A Darlington Point woman has recovered from her infant son’s tragic death to launch a new art business and collaborate with record-breaking Australian singer Tones and I.
In 2015 Karissa Undy lost her 18-month-old son Christopher, when he drowned in a pool at a relative’s family farm.
“It was just so tragic. When it happened the ambulance couldn’t locate the farm and we were struggling to get phone reception.
“We were such a close Aboriginal family, so we were all so devastated.”
Ms Undy, then aged 25, said she went off the rails, fell in with the wrong crowd and turned to drugs. The next two years of her life were a blur.
“In 2017, I fell pregnant again. That spurred me to stop taking drugs and get my life in order.”
Needing to escape, she moved to Sydney and then to the Gold Coast, where she started painting and doing artwork.
“Art was how I coped with grief. It was a way for me to express my emotions without having to cry in front of my children.
“It kept me grounded. At first, it was just something I started doing for myself as a hobby.”
Karissa’s artwork. Photo: Supplied.
A life-changing moment happened when she produced some artwork for a childcare centre in Pacific Pines on the Gold Coast.
“They were like, ‘wow, this is so good, you really should be doing this for a living’.”
After dropping out of high school and having her first child at age 19, Ms Undy had never really had much of a career. She would drift from one unstable job to another.
But inspired by positive feedback and her grandmother Patricia, she decided to become an art entrepreneur, marketing work that she produces herself.
“A big moment for me came when I responded to a Facebook post from [singer] Tones and I.
“She wanted some artwork done for her touring van and she chose me to do it.
“It was such a thrill, I got to meet her in person and we got on so well.”
Tones and I is best known for her breakout single Dance Monkey, which spent a record 16 weeks at number one on the singles charts.
Ms Undy is also on the rise. She started selling art through her website and Instagram page, which now has almost 9000 followers.
Karissa’s artwork. Photo: supplied
This led to NSW Health approaching her to do artwork for the Griffith Safe Haven, a venue people can go to for support when having suicidal thoughts.
“I was so happy to be able to do that as I want to help young people,” she said.
“My goal is to improve literacy and numeracy for Aboriginal children. I’m thinking of ways I can do this, perhaps by donating a percentage of my art sales.
“There needs to be more assistance for Indigenous kids.”
Ms Undy said there’s so much untapped potential in her community, but without support many will go in the same wayward direction she took in 2015.
“You can never judge anyone because you don’t ever know what they’ve been through,” she said.
Ms Undy also sells her artwork at the Griffith Central Markets, which are held on the third Saturday of every month between 9 am and 2 pm.
If this story has raised concerns for you, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. If someone is in immediate danger, call 000. Information and support for anxiety, depression and suicide prevention are available through Beyond Blue.
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