This stunning collection of Contemporary Australian Indigenous patterns feature the work of Palm Island Bwgcolman artist Agnes Wotton, and artist Jo Wilson who is a descendant of the Ngunnawal people (Canberra & surrounding NSW).

Application and Use

• Use patterns in the classroom to promote awareness of Australia’s First Nation artists, their work and stories.
• Great for collages, paper crafts and displays.

Features

• Eight original hand-painted patterns reflecting spiritual stories of home, country, identity and the environment.
• The pack includes information about the artists.

Specifications

• Comes in a pack of 40 (8 designs – 5 of each design)

About the Artists

Agnes Wotton

A First Nations artist, lived on Palm Island Bwgcolman, QLD all her life. Her mother, an Indinji woman, gave birth to her in 1971 to her father, a Yalanji Man. She has been painting for 17 years and got her first big breakthrough at the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair in 2019. Art is a way of expressing herself and escaping from reality; it gives her peace of mind, and she would like to use her work to help others also find their dreams.

Sea Anemone Abstract: “Sea Anemone is part of a series about my home, Palm Island. It conveys the beautiful movement of the waves that slowly move through the house of the anemone. It also captures the inner peace of one’s soul. The red and white elements represent the clown fish that lives in the anemone’s house”.

Spiritual Transformation Abstract Butterfly: "The butterfly is symbolic to the Australian Indigenous people – as it’s believed that the butterfly represents spiritual transformation. Butterfly’s also bring hope and happiness. Personally, I paint butterflies to represent self, my connection to the land, my spiritual journey and how far I have come".

Spiritual Transformation Cross Hatch Butterfly: "The butterfly is symbolic to the Australian Indigenous people – as it’s believed that the butterfly represents spiritual transformation. Butterfly’s also bring hope and happiness. Personally, I paint butterflies to represent self, my connection to the land, my spiritual journey and how far I have come".

Jo Wilson

A First Nations woman & contemporary Aboriginal Artist. A proud descendant of the Ngemba people of Brewarrina (Northwestern NSW). She was born on Ngunnawal Country in Canberra and although she did not grow up traditional on Country she has a strong bond with her spiritual home where her mum grew up in Brewarrina NSW. Her identity as an Aboriginal woman is something very important to her, and she has always been proud. She has been on a healing journey these past couple of years and connecting to and finding peace with her Indigenous heritage and culture through painting. She feels so grateful to have found healing and happiness through creative expression. She paints intuitively and through ritual, this connects her to her ancestors. She loves to create her own dreaming, depicting healing rainbows, but often also includes her love of the moon, sun, stars & universe in her works. She hopes her creations bring you joy, healing and strength as much as they have given her creating them.

Father Moon Sky: “This piece depicts the moon & stars & expanding universe. The moon in our Aboriginal culture is a man and has many different meanings among our First Nations of Australia”.

Walking on Country: “I created this piece using many colours in the brush strokes. Each brush stroke representing many different tracks made by mob across Country”.

Seeds of Life: “This painting represents birth in its many different forms of native flora & fauna”.

Creating Waves: “These lines depict the waves and patterns Mother Earth makes on land & sea”.

Cosmic Dreaming: “Each design is different but represents the wonder of our cosmic skies”.

Mob Connections: “Mob which means family in our culture is extremely important. The feeling of love & connection is so strong in our community. Spirit is always healed when you are with mob”.