HEATHER KOOWOOTHA | 'My Po'al' | Acrylic paint / binder medium / ochres on linen

"This painting is about collecting bush dyes and bush fibres to make waangk (dillybags). I learnt about this from sitting down with my aunty Parly Yunkaporta and she showed me how to make those string bags. She showed me all the colourful bush dyes that you can turn the bush string into bright and lovely colours. I used to sit down with my aunty outside of the Old Aurukun Villiage. There was no modern homes built in those days. They lived in a tin shack in the bush outside of the Aurukun Mission Reserve. We would collect wayk (yellow dye) and pa'amp (red dye) to change the colour of waangk into bright colours."

Heather Koowootha is a multi-disciplinary artist working in the mediums of printmaking, sculpture, painting, drawing, ceramics, and weaving. Born in Cairns, Heather spent parts of her childhood in Aurukun and the “top end” village, learning from her old people. Her father and grandmother were Wik Mungkan, and her Yidinji/Kuganji mother was a Traditional Owner from Yarrabah and Gordenvale. Heather’s works continue to be inspired by their histories and teachings. 

HEATHER KOOWOOTHA | 'My Po'al' | Acrylic paint, binder medium and ochres on linen

Details: 170 (h) x 170 (w) cm