A safe space for indigenous and non-indigenous local female artists to get together and sell their creations has opened its doors in Moree.
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Sisters Under The Skin, located next to the Aboriginal Employment Strategy in Balo Street, is a collaborative workspace and showroom for local women’s art, designs and handmade products.
An initiative created by long-time friends, Aboriginal artist Ann Johnson and non-Aboriginal artist Janelle Boyd, Sisters Under the Skin aims to not only promote women’s art in Moree, but the values of reconciliation.
“We want to promote reconciliation and show we can work together,” Ms Johnson said.
“We want this to be one of the positive things happening in Moree.”
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Ms Boyd and Ms Johnson have been working together for more than 30 years.
The pair, who were both teachers at TAFE, have always painted together. They used to have another business – Spirit Lines – but after that closed down they went their separate ways before reuniting to establish Sisters Under The Skin.
Ms Johnson said an offer by Aboriginal Employment Strategy manager Cathy Budda-Deen was too good to pass up.
“Cathy offered us this space for no rent, no nothing,” she said.
In an effort to promote local art, Ms Johnson and Ms Boyd decided to open up the shop to all local women artists, as well as the odd man or two, to exhibit and sell their products.
“It’s community-based,” Ms Johnson said.
“Any artist from Moree can bring their artwork here. It’s a place for women to come and call in and have a yarn, seek advice if they need it.
“It’s a place to get-together, even if they just want to come for a yarn or a cuppa.”
A wide range of unique, locally-made artworks and gift items are for sale in the shop, including paintings, pottery, jewellery, furnishings, kitchenware, t-shirts, souvenirs, canvas tote bags, eurah soap, cards and much more.
“We’ve got a bit of everything,” Ms Johnson said.
Self-funded by the artists, Sisters Under The Skin doesn’t take commissions and any money they make goes directly back into the business for the purchase of better equipment.
They’ve already had some great feedback from the community and have been supported by a number of local organisations such as Pius X Aboriginal Corporation and the AES, which have placed bulk orders for screen-printed shirts, aprons etc for Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week.
Tourism Moree has also been selling their souvenir items.
Sisters Under the Skin, located at 207 Balo Street, is open from 10am to 3pm.
For more information, call 0409 449 197 or email sistersundertheskin@hotmail.com.
