Mixed Media / Textiles
Edward’s work explores themes of land management, cultural heritage, and the relationship between his people and their Country. Focusing on detailed dots and line work, Edward’s paintings tell the story of traditional fire practices, hunting, and the seasonal changes of the landscape, vital for the survival of the land and the culture of the Nyangumarta and Mangala people. By depicting his Grandmothers’ and Mother’s Country, Edward maintains ancestral knowledge and emphasizes the importance of looking after the land. As a cultural advisor for Nyangumarta Rangers, his experiences are translated into his paintings, reflecting his heritage and connection to the land.
The Radius 6.0 exhibition allows Edward to honour the elders and continue their legacy, contributing to a broader understanding of the significance of Country in Aboriginal culture.
"I was born in Broome hospital, WA in the late seventies. I went to Lagrange school, then to Nulungu College to further my education and went back to Lagrange. In the late 2000's I came interested in painting my old peoples country. Me I like doing dot painting, it's about culture, land and people. Sometimes I go out with the rangers to look after country and sometimes it heals all of us being out on country. The painting I do is sand dunes and claypans. Me I use desert colours in my paintings, that represent the desert. My Mother and my Grandmother are Nyangumarta and my Father’s side is Mangala Side. Both of my Grandmothers were born in the desert country, they both grew me up in the old camp here in Bidyadanga."
Bidyadanga Artists
Kimberley, WA
Acrylic on canvas
76cm (h) x 36cm (w)
$930
This paining is about the claypans and spinifex in the dry season time, when spinifex, the native plants and the country gets dry. When the rain comes it makes the country green again. Some animals love dry season for hunting. Some times we go hunting for animals for our families With the Paru (spinifex) we pull out the whole plant, roots and all and then we twist it around to make a flat basket (Jitatu) like a donut ring. Then this sits on the head and you can carry water for example. The water is in a Kapara like a shallow bowl which you make from the hard wood of a tree like Parntal (Owenia Reticulata)
Bidyadanga Artists
Kimberley, WA
Acrylic on canvas
46cm (h) x 36cm (w)
$560
This paining is about the claypans and spinifex in the dry season time, when spinifex, the native plants and the country gets dry. When the rain comes it makes the country green again. Some animals love dry season for hunting. Some times we go hunting for animals for our families With the Paru (spinifex) we pull out the whole plant, roots and all and then we twist it around to make a flat basket (Jitatu) like a donut ring. Then this sits on the head and you can carry water for example. The water is in a Kapara like a shallow bowl which you make from the hard wood of a tree like Parntal (Owenia Reticulata)
Bidyadanga Artists
Kimberley, WA
Acrylic on canvas
76cm (h) x 36cm (w)
$930
This paining is about the claypans, spinifex and waru (fire) in the dry season time, when spinifex, the native plants and the country gets dry. Its about how to burn the country the right way, not the wrong way. Like old people they used to burn the county right way, so we learn from them and keep country good for us and all the animals comes out of the bush. When the rain comes it makes the country green again. Some animals love dry season for hunting. Some times we go hunting for animals for our families. With the Paru (spinifex) we pull out the whole plant, roots and all and then we twist it around to make a flat basket (Jitatu) like a donut ring. Then this sits on the head and you can carry water for example. The water is in a Kapara like a shallow bowl which you make from the hard wood of a tree like Parntal (Owenia Reticulata).
Bidyadanga Artists
Kimberley, WA
Acrylic on canvas
152cm (h) x 76cm (w)
$3,990
All about white claypan in dry season, lalga. I’m doing the dry claypan. We go out country from Bidgy (Bidyadanga abbr.) and go hunting for kangaroo and turkey, like that you know? Bush animals you know? Long time [ago] people used to go hunting by walking, but now we go with car. When we go dry time the jurnga (ground} all hard, [that’s when it’s] more easy to see the animal footprints. Not when it’s scrubby, not when it’s a marsh, that’s when the ground is too softened then, too boggy. This is the one I’m painting now, I’m doing the colour of the dry season, I’m doing all the dots like the sand, claypan, marsh and the paru (spinifex), all the different Nyangumarta country. I’m doing all the station, I’m doing the white plain, the marsh and claypan area. That’s all in the pirla (desert, country). I’m doing different sort of area; Wallal, Mandoora, Anna Plains, Sandfire Marsh, Salt Creek. Bush name for Salt Creek is Wallyarra. We go hunting different places every day. That’s the hunting places.
Bidyadanga Artists
Kimberley, WA
Acrylic on canvas
152cm (h) x 76cm (w)
$3,990
Bidyadanga Artists
Kimberley, WA
Acrylic on canvas
46cm (h) x 36cm (w)
$560
Bidyadanga Artists
Kimberley, WA
Acrylic on canvas
46cm (h) x 36cm (w)
$560
The Courthouse Gallery+Studio would like to acknowledge the Kariyarra, Ngarla, and Nyamal people as the Traditional Custodians of the Town of Port Hedland lands. We recognise their strength and resilience and pay our respects to their Elders past and present.
The Courthouse Gallery+Studio is managed by The Junction Co. on behalf of the Town of Port Hedland.