KAMILAROI artists have carved their worldview into trees and stone for thousands of years, but Chris Roberts gives a straight forward description of his work.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
“It’s a piece of wood,” he laughed, pointing at a thick piece of river gum.
Mr Roberts used a power saw, drills and a router to carve the same animals and landscape into the hard, red wood, as his forebears have done since time immemorial.
“I mix contemporary tools with the old ways,” he said. “My work is not based on stereotypes ... you gotta think outside the box.” Mr Roberts also etches designs into emu eggs, glass and other objects, dozens of which are on display at the Dhiiyaan Centre as part of Moree’s NAIDOC Week celebrations.
He’s part of a group of artists called Galamaay, which means ‘brother’ in Kamilaroi.
The group was formed about a year ago and were invited to hang their work at Dhiiyaan as the centre looks at new ways to engage the community.
Other artists on display include Aubrey Swan, whose paintings depict yellow belly, echidnas and turtles, as well as tribal meeting and boomerang places.
Matthew Priestley said the Galamaay group had got him back into painting after years spent working with multimedia and in helping set up groups like Beyond Empathy and Desert Pea Media.
“My Mum painted, my Dad painted, I’ve been painting all my life,” Mr Priestley said. “I took the opportunity to get back into it when we set up this men’s group, as a lot of the local lads were painting and doing art.”
Their works are open to the public and Mr Roberts will also put on several displays of his etching “whenever tickles his fancy”.