There was a special making activity for NAIDOC Week and there’s beautiful new work by Tanya Stevens in the Kew-Y-Ahn Aboriginal Gallery at Hartley Historic Site.
In July the NPWS staff at the gallery ran a NAIDOC colouring activity for the school holidays. All ages could explore the gallery, colour in a hand and learn about this year’s NAIDOC week theme. The hands were then placed in our entry foyer display around a ‘campfire’ display to symbolise the community joining us in celebrating and acknowledging Aboriginal culture and to ‘keep the fire burning’.
New work by Tanya Stevens
Tanya’s work is very popular so drop in soon to see it before it sells.
Artist statement:
“Our family on my Mother’s side is originally from Megalong Valley, Gundungurra tribe. My Mother has Aboriginal on her side of the family and on my Father’s side I have Irish.
I have been painting since I was young but only now have decided to put my work out. I really enjoy painting and expressing myself with all the colours you can see in my paintings. I can get quite colourful with my artwork.
I am finding more time to paint as my children get older. I love experimenting with different textures. We are descendants of the Water Dragon people, Gundungurra, and I will be looking to incorporate my tribes land (the Blue Mountains) into my paintings as much as I can. I feel a deep connection to the land when I get back to where our family are from and I want to share this with the world as much as possible. The Blue Mountains are truly magical.“
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Kew-Y-Ahn is a gallery exhibiting work of Aboriginal artists of Central West NSW, located at Hartley Historic Site east of Lithgow.
The project is a partnership between Arts OutWest, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and the NSW Department of Environment and Heritage.
Work by Aboriginal painters, weavers, designers, jewellers and photographers from across the NSW Central West is represented in rotating exhibitions in the gallery space.
The gallery is open 10am to 4pm Tuesday to Sunday (closed for lunch 1-2pm). Closed Mondays, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
