ARTIST PROFILES
Irene Bambi, Harry Bowen, Madge Bowen, Charlotte Burns, Chantelle Cooktown,
Dora Deemal, Bianca Foster, Brooke Foster, Helen Gordon, Joyce Jacko,
Cyril McGreen, Evelyn McGreen, Kayleen McGreen, Roy McIvor, Phylomena Naylor,
Derek Rosendale, Conrad Michael
Irene Bambi
Born: 1964, Cooktown
Clan Group: Thupi Warra
Language:
Inspiration:
I live at Hope Vale in North Queensland. I was born in Cooktown in 1964 to Hermann and Myrtle Bambi, who were pioneers of Hope Vale after returning from Woorabinda, after the forced removal of aboriginal people during the war.
When I was young I loved sketching, I used to draw cartoons, animal and people. When I was fifteen I started to paint, John Allums, Tulo Gordon and Walter Jack were great traditional artists from our community, they guided me and showed me how to paint in the old way.
Now I paint in traditional style, with acrylic paints and coloured sand. I like to use traditional, earthy, ochre colours.
Harry Bowen
Aboriginal Artist
Born: 1972: Cairns, Qld.
Clan Group: Bulgan Warra.
Language: Guugu Yimithirr.
Inspiration: Traditional Guugu Yimithirr Stories.
I have lived in Hopevale in Far North Qld all my life. I am of the Bulgan Warra Clan. I was born in Cairns in 1972, to my parents Edward and Madge Bowen. They had a great positive influence on my life; I used to go with my father on most weekends collecting didgeridoos.
I went away to school at St Peter Lutheran college, then I did an electrician apprenticeship and worked as a Sparky for 15 years. I went to The Academy of Music in SA and studied guitar for two years. Now I work with Mental Health in Hopevale.
One day my friend Derek told me to give painting a go, so I started painting. I paint the stories of my people, when the story is straight in my head I find that the images come along I have to get them down quick or they seem to go away, it’s like when a riff or melody comes in to my head I have to play it on the guitar or it goes away and doesn’t come back.
Madge Bowen
Aboriginal Artist
Born: 1946: Yarrabah, Qld.
Clan Group: Bulgan Warra.
Language: Western Kuku Yalanji.
Inspiration: To learn painting from other Artists.
I live in Hopevale in Far North Qld. I am of the Bulgan Warra Clan. I was born in Yarrabah in 1946, to my parents Nolan and Myrtle Grogan. They were taken to Yarrabah, away from their families in Maytown and Cooktown, in the early days.
I came to Hope Vale with my brother in the 1950’s. I have worked as a Teachers Aide for 20 years and retired in 2007 when I came to work here at the Hopevale Arts and Cultural Centre and now I’m learning to paint in the Traditional Painting style, I love it. We the aboriginal people love fishing in the wet season when the jew fish and the barramundi are on the run. It is a thrill for me to catch a Barra, so I love painting fish.
Charlotte Burns
Born: 1925, China Camp
Clan Group:
Language:
Inspiration:
My name is Charlotte Burns. My parents are Lesley Walker & Milly Walker. I was born in China Camp outside of Wujal Wujal in 1925.
My hobbies are collecting shells and grass ( bayjun) to make traditional baskets. In my young days I was living at China Camp but then my parents moved to Yarrabah. That’s where I learnt how to make baskets, necklaces and bracelets with shells and bayjun grass. I got married in Yarrabah. Then I moved to Hope Vale with my husband and children.
These days I like going down to the creek, fishing for fresh water turtle, jewfish and eel. I also go down to the beach to fish and collect my shells to make necklaces and earrings.
Chantelle Cooktown
Born: 1984, Cairns
Clan Group: Yidinji
Language: Guugu Yalangi
Inspiration:
My name is Chantelle Cooktown. My parents are Bettina Grogan & Anthony Cooktown. I was born and raised in Cairns, Qld.
My ancestry comes from Hopevale, Palm Island and Gordonvale. My language name is Boodoogidja which is from the Yidinji tribe.
My love for painting comes from watching my grandmother paint when I was a child.
Dora Deemal
Aboriginal Artist
Born: 1944, Woorabinda, Qld.
Clan Group: Binthi Warra
Language: Guugu Yimithirr
Inspiration: Women’s cultural traditions, particularly weaving
I live in Hopevale in Far North Qld. I am of the Binthi Warra Clan.
I was born in Woorabinda in 1944, my father was a Binthi Warra man from McIvor River and my mother came to Cape Bedford mission as a little girl, after being stolen from Stonehenge together with her sister and brother. She grew up at Cape Bedford and met her husband and got married. They had eight children, two boys and six girls. I lost a brother and a sister when we were evacuated to Woorabinda in the war. When we returned to Hopevale in 1950, with the first returnees to our country, my parents adopted another son. I married Phillip Deemal in 1963 he is a Tharraarr Clan, we had six children.
I started weaving mungan and cane (pandamus) baskets when I was 15, I used to go with my mother and aunties to collect fibre and dyes. I still love weaving and have learnt how to make dilly bags from Bajin (grass).
Bianca Foster
Aboriginal Artist
Born: 1989. Cairns
Clan: Butdjala
Language:
Inspiration: colours and shapes of the land
I was born on the 25th of May 1989 in Cairns, NQ. But I grew up in Kuranda. My family originated from Frazer Island, the Butdjala tribe.
Most of my art was inspired by my family, especially my uncle, who is an artist. He would take us places and tell us stories about everything around us.
The colours and shapes of the land is my inspiration. I love to paint, it’s a way to express myself.
Brooke Foster
Aboriginal Artist
Born: 1989 Cairns
Clan: Butdjala.
Language:
Inspiration: Country
I was born along with my twin sister, Bianca on the 25th of May 1989 in Cairns, But I grew up in Kuranda on the Tablelands west of Cairns.
As I grew up I spent a lot of time with my uncle who showed me the world around me. He also taught me how to paint, and mentored me over the years to perfect my art.
I have been attending a TAFE course in Indigenous Art in Cairns where I have learnt lots of new art forms and ways of expressing my creativity.
Helen Gordon
Born: 1960 Hope Vale
Clan Group: Nugal Warra
Language: Guugu Yimithirr
Inspiration: Stories of my country
My name is Helen Gordon, I am from the from the Nugal-Warra tribe, whose traditional lands are to the north of the Endeavour River, stretching across to Hope Vale Community.
I am the daughter of Tulo Gordon, an artist and story-teller, who taught me how to paint.
I have been painting for more than twenty years now, and love painting and passing on traditional stories and wisdom to both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children.
As well as learning from my father I have done art work with NAIDOC, and taught painting and cultural activities at the Cooktown School and at local festivals. I like to be active in community welfare programs. I believe it is very important to pass on understanding and respect for the traditions and customs of my people.
Helen and her husband Conrad 'Connie' Michael held an exhibition at Nature’s PowerHouse in Cooktown in May 2007 it was very well received and ¾ of their paintings sold.
Helen’s painting ‘Respect’, received the Hope Vale Cultural centre Indigenous Art Award and the coveted Elizabeth Guzeley Award for over all best Art work at the Cooktown Art Society annual competition.
Joyce Jacko
Born: 1951, Hope Vale
Clan Group:
Language:
Inspiration:
My name is Joyce Jacko. My parents are Billy Muundu and Vera Jacko. I was born in Hope Vale in 1951. I like doing art, basket weaving and painting. I never learnt weaving from my mother, though I used to sit with her, watching her making dilly bags. My father used to make spears and woomeras and boomerangs. When he made a spear from a palm-grass tree, he would go out the next day collecting stingray and fish bones for barbs. He would stick these onto the spear with tar and tie them up with string. These and other artefacts were painted by my father and sold in the Hope Vale curio shop for tourists.
One day my friend Maureen asked me if I would like to join her weaving baskets at home. So I sat down with her and tried making one, a mixture of bayjun grass and pandanus. So my friend Maureen said to me that we might be able to teach our grandchildren and great grandchildren. Now I am really proud of my work, both painting and weaving.
Cyril McGreen
Aboriginal Dancer
Born: 1970 Cooktown
Clan: Thupi Warra
Language: Guguu Yimithirr
Inspiration: Traditional dance
I am a Thupi Warra man and I have been dancing since I was a young boy. I learnt from Peter Bally who was a dancer and the Hopevale singer.
In 1998 I travelled to Austria to teach Austrian children my dance and to performance.
At the Quinkan Cultural Centre in Laura, there are big display posters of me dancing my ‘Eagle’ dance and my footprints show the dance steps are printed on the floor.
Now I teach the children at Hopevale the culture of dance and we perform at ceremonies and functions. This year I have started painting and I love it too.
Evelyn McGreen
Born: 1942, Woorabinda
Clan Group: Thupi Warra
Language:
Inspiration:
I am the daughter of Roy and May Dick. I was born in Woorabinda in 1942, and moved to Hope Vale in the early 1950’s, where my parents were originally from.
My father was a pioneer of this place, and helped build the church here. In my early years I loved to helping my dad with his carpentry. I was a bit of a tomboy. I loved working with tools. I spent my school years here and married Benny McGreen in 1962. We had five children.
I started painting in about 2002. My early paintings were of sea animals, fish and flowers. When I started, I was a bit lost, but now I know what I’m doing and what I want to achieve. I’m using different shapes and backgrounds.
I am also a basket-weaver, I weave with sisal hemp, pandanus, Beach hibiscus and bajin, [lomandra longifolia], and use bush dyes to colour the fibre.
Kayleen McGreen
Aboriginal Artist
Born: 1967 Gympie
Clan: Thupi Warra
Language: Guguu Yimithirr
Inspiration:
I am the third daughter of Benny and Evelyn McGreen. I was born at Gympie in 1967 we moved to Hopevale in the early 1970s which is my parents’ country. I have one sister and three brothers and I also have children of my own.
I went to high school in Malanda and in Cooktown.
I started painting in 1999. I was taught by my children’s dad Willy West, how to paint. Some of my paintings tell a story but mostly I like doing screen-printing, batik and silk painting. My paintings have been exhibited at the Minggay Gallery in Cairns and at Nature’s PowerHouse in Cooktown.
Roy McIvor
Born: 1934, Hope Vale.
Clan Group: Binthi
Language: Guugu Yimithirr
Inspiration: Stories of my country
My name is Roy McIvor and I live at Hope Vale, 50kms north of Cooktown. My mother was Rachel McIvor from Stonehenge, near Longreach. My father was Paddy McIvor from Binthi Country, near McIvor River, north of Hope Vale.
I was born at Cape Bedford Mission in 1934 and later moved to Spring Hill. Both were Lutheran sites north of Cooktown in Far North Queensland.
In 1942, my family and the Cape Bedford Community were forcibly removed from the mission by the military to Woorabinda, near Rockhampton.
I spent the final years of my formal schooling in Woorabinda. I recall being inspired by the wife of a teacher, Mrs Jarrett. She was always complimenting me and supportive of my artistic ability and was a jolly good artist herself.
Mrs Jarrett had said to Roy, “I hope you keep doing art,” and these words were the springboard into a life time interest and working in art for Roy. His curiosity and explorative nature have been expressed in the development of his artwork. Roy has experimented with many techniques and concepts for over 40 years, leaving him with a truly unique Indigenous style.
Roy is the Chairman of Hope Vale Arts and Cultural Centre and a stalwart figure in the promotion of Indigenous art and culture at Hope Vale
His work is currently in the following collections: Queensland Art Gallery and the Fireworks Gallery, Brisbane.
Phylomena Naylor
Aboriginal Artist
Born: 1952, Cooktown.
Clan Group: Balngarr Warra
Language: Guugu Yimithirr.
Inspiration: My Traditions and Culture
My name is Philomena and I live at Hopevale. My mother was Mary McIvor a Eastern Guguu Yalangi woman who married Bulla McIvor a Balngarr Warra man from west of Hopevale. I was born in Cooktown on the 30th January 1952.
My great uncle Joe Burns was a very good artist, painting on didgeridoos and bark paintings. I was first inspired to learn to paint and weave when my very good friend, Maureen Wallace said to me, ‘Your mother was a traditional weaver, and you could follow in her foot steps and learn about weaving and traditional painting,’ she told me to join up at the Culture Centre and learn to be an artist myself.
Today I appreciate the opportunity I was given and happy I set my goal to be a successful artist.
Derek Rosendale
Aboriginal Artist
Born:
Clan Group: Binthi
Language: Guugu Yimithirr
Inspiration:
I am an aboriginal man of the Binthi clan of the Guguu Yimithirr people from the McIvor River area near Hope Vale in Far North Queensland through my Mother. I also have family ties to the Western Guguu Yalanji people from the Quinkan Reserve, Maytown and Split Rock areas near the township of Laura in Far North Queensland through my Father. I grew up in Hope Vale Aboriginal Community speaking the Guguu Yimithirr language of my Mother’s people.
My artworks are heavily influenced by the spirituality of my people. I was never taught to paint in the traditional fashion but draw my inspiration from the stories and depictions of the many spirit creatures and entities that inhabit the country of the Guguu Yimithirr and Guguu Yalanji peoples. I was told many of the stories of these spirit beings by my tribal Grandfathers and other elders while growing up in this region. I remember many happy days and evenings seated at the feet of my Grandfathers as they told their stories of the spirit beings and their roles in creating, forming and shaping the world of my peoples in the time referred to as the ‘Dreamtime’
I express my uniquely indigenous spirituality in modern colours utilizing modern media while paying homage to the spirit beings of my people. Some of my artworks also depict the hunting and gathering stories told by my Grandfathers and Grandmothers of long ago.
Conrad Michael
Born: 1958, Cooktown
Clan Group: Balngarr
Language: Guugu Yimithirr
Inspiration: Stories of my country
I am a local artist from Cooktown. In my younger days I used to be a stockman. While on holidays I gave his wife, Helen Gordon, a hand with her painting. I realised that I had a talent also and from then on I have continued to paint.
Conrad’s meticulous paintings and artifacts are inspired by the stories of his country. Conrad and his wife Helen Gordon held an exhibition at Nature’s PowerHouse in Cooktown in May 2007 it was very well received and most of their paintings sold.