MORNINGTON ISLAND POSTCARDS - Karen Chong | 'Nithalunn' |  Postcard

I was born on Mornington Island. My father was Waanyi a mainlander and my mother Lardil. I went to school and I stayed with my grandparents as my mother was away working on a station on the mainland.

When I was in my twenties I went to live in Normanton and Croydon. I returned to Mornington in 1982 to marry my late husband Bruce Chong. We have 6 children, 2 girls and 4 boys and 17 grandchildren.

"I used to do a lot of shell work making pictures by glueing shells onto canvas boards and making necklaces. I started painting at school using chalk and crayons and developed a love of painting at a young age.

Arnold Watt a painter who painted alongside Dick & Lindsey Roughsey taught me a lot when I was young and he told me to keep at it and I'll get better. It was good to come and start painting at the Art Centre with Arnold before he passed away. It made me feel like a real artist.

My husband and I spent a lot of time out bush with our kids. His outstation was at Gabunyaree where we had a house. I used to do shell work and paint at our outstation and sell it around town." - Karen Chong 

MORNINGTON ISLAND POSTCARDS - MORNINGTON ISLAND POSTCARDS - Karen Chong | 'Nithalunn' |  Postcard  on recycled card stock printed with soy based inks | 17 cm x 12 cm