Koori Art Impressions
Monday 29 September 2006
The Arts and Media section of TAFE NSW-North Coast Institute, Great Lakes Campus, is featuring over 80 artworks by emerging Aboriginal artists who live in the Taree and Forster regions. The exhibition, titled ‘Koori Impressions’, showcases the skills of local students studying Certificate II, III and IV in Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Cultural Arts.
The students have been working under the expert guidance of local artists and TAFE teachers Russell Saunders (a community elder who received an OAM for services to Indigenous Art), Ali Hague and Michelle Pressley. Elders Aunty Mae Simon and Pam Kellner, along with Jaycent Davies have also provided valuable educational and cultural support during the course.
On show for the first time will be a colourful array of artworks in the mediums of printmaking, sculpture, drawing, painting and pyrography. Other works to be shown are stencilled wall hangings, linocut prints, hand crafted timber tables, ‘Hebel’ sculptures and paintings.
Included in the exhibition are hand printed contemporary art books featuring linocut and woodblock images that were on display at the Bridge Street Exhibition space in Sydney in July and August of this year.
“TAFE gives us a good environment to explore our ideas and learn more about our culture. We love learning new techniques and being creative,” says student Beverly Mitchell.
The course has been designed in consultation with the Taree and Great Lakes Aboriginal communities. “This has given all students the opportunity to communicate and express their cultural heritage through different mediums whilst developing a consistent body of work,” says Elizabeth Jones, Acting Head Teacher of Arts and Media.
All works at the ‘Koori Impressions’ exhibition are for sale including a range of cards, calendars, picture frames and printed T-shirts. The public is welcome to come and celebrate the opening on Monday 23rd October between 12:00 – 2:00pm at the Great lakes Campus, L Block. Russell Saunders will officially open the event and light refreshments and entertainment will be provided.
