Meet The Finalists Of The Most Prestigious Indigenous Art Awards

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (Telstra NATSIAA) are Australia's longest-running and the most prestigious Indigenous art awards. They bring together are wide array of people with varying types of art. Here, three of this years finalist's that give away some weird habits, where they want their art to hang and their biggest muses...

LEAH BRADY

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This is the very first time I have been short listed for the NATSIA Awards, for me it really is a dream come true. I moved from my community in the APY Lands a few years ago. Last year with some other senior women from the APY Lands I started our gallery and studio in Adelaide. This is where I work on my paintings every day. I absolutely love everything about our new studio. I love working on my painting that's the main thing of course, but I love that the community that comes together of Anangu. Our gallery and studio is like a piece of the APY Lands here in Adelaide. We really wanted it for such a long time so I'm proud I helped make it happen. Every day we connect with each other and our family members on the Lands as well. Making our work is a true celebration of our culture, we often sing the story as we paint. I am so proud to be as part of the Telstra Prize this year, with my work about the Piltardi story. I really put my heart into the painting, and I hope that everyone loves it as much as I loved making it." Leah Brady, Director APYACC 📸 Meg Hanson

AGE: 58

HOME: Adelaide

GENRE: Landscape

MATERIALS: Acrylic on linen

INSPIRATION: The incredible landscape and country of the APY (Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara) lands. We (Anangu) are tied to this country. We love it and take care of it; that’s our responsibility and our joy.

ART HERO: My brother, Sammy Lyons. Sammy and I are in the NATSIA Awards together for the very first time this year.

WORDS TO LIVE BY: I always say to my kids, “Look after each other. Be straight in the way you talk and think about the world. Share and be generous. Work hard. Enjoy your life. Have fun.”

STUDIO SOUNDTRACK: Anything by Dolly Parton.

PET HATE: I don’t like it when people make promises and then walk away. We experience this quite a bit in Aboriginal communities – government promises.

SPIRIT ANIMAL: An eagle, so I could fly around the country and keep an eye on my family.

JENNA LEE

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AGE: 27

HOME: I have a quite a few homes. My life is in Brisbane where I live and work; my community is in Darwin on Larrakia Land; and finally Canberra, where my mum and dad live. No matter where they move, their place is always my home.

GENRE: Conceptual art, predominantly paper-based sculpture, works on paper and multimedia installation.

MATERIALS: Paper is my core medium, specifically second-hand books, which I transform into new forms through a process of analysis, deconstruction and reconstruction.

INSPIRATION: The objects of my ancestors are a huge inspiration for me. I am also a huge fan of fantasy, science fiction, comics and manga. ART HERO: Aunty Lola Greeno. She was the first artist to make me cry through the power of her work.

IF YOU COULD HAVE DINNER WITH ANYBODY FROM HISTORY, WHO WOULD IT BE? David Attenborough – I just want to thank him for inspiring my passion and curiosity for the world around us.

STUDIO SOUNDTRACK: “Pukulpa” by Electric Fields.

PET HATE: People who are rude to service staff.

SPIRIT ANIMAL: A powerful owl.

KRYSTAL HURST

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I grew up on the banks of Taree's Manning River and the beautiful salty sea on the Mid North Coast. I spent many warm summers fishing, swimming and gathering sea foods at Forster and many coastal inlets around Taree. This place is my home and the home of my Ancestors. I now live and work on Ngunnawal Country in Canberra for Nationals Parks by day and by night I paint, assemble jewellery and pack your orders. Yes! It's just me with a huge help from my partner Kimiah and best friend, Tarran. Together, they help carry the load to go above and beyond to support my dream of becoming a full-time artist. Art is my passion, it is an extension of who I am, where I come from and who I belong to. Art is my identity. Since I was a wonai (child) I have been surrounded by arts and culture, and spending many moments with my family and learning about our buckwi - totems. I would describe my arts practice as "speaking through art" which travels within the crevices of the canvas or glides in the stillness of each brush stroke or sketch. I feel sometimes the voices of First Nations people not heard, valued or deeply understood. Through my arts I hope it inspires, it educates to make a lasting impact in our communities. But its not just about me, I hope to bring mob with me..I hope to make a lasting impact to keep our stories, language and culture alive by empowering people to feel proud when wearing a pair of statement earrings or with a colourful print on your wall. Aboriginal art is not just "art", it's our identity, an extension of every essence of who we are which transcends time and space. So with each piece I create, a piece of me lives on. Marrangbu - thankyou for supporting me. 📸 @jessikatona #Gillawarraarts #Gathang

AGE: 32

HOME: Taree, on NSW’s Mid North Coast. Currently living on Ngunnawal Country in the ACT.

GENRE: Aboriginal jewellery/adornment.

MATERIALS: A whole variety – seashells, emu feathers, echidna quills, raffia, native seeds, bamboo wood.

INSPIRATION: My identity as a Worimi woman, memories, experiences and cultural stories.

ART HERO: My dad; he taught me how to paint and draw.

WORDS TO LIVE BY: Speak and live your truth.

FAVOURITE INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT: Seed Mob – Indigenous Youth Climate Network (@seedmob). They are doing amazing work to protect [the] country.

STUDIO SOUNDTRACK: I love listening to the podcast Wild Black Women hosted by Chelsea Bond and Angelina Hurley.

PET HATE: Cultural appropriation.

SPIRIT ANIMAL: Gurparr – a dolphin

This article originally appeared the July issue of marie claire - Out Now

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