Artist: Karen Chong | Title: Magian | Year: 2009 | Medium: synthetic polymer paint on belgian linen | Dimensions: 90 x 120 cm
PROVENANCE
Mornington Island Arts & Craft Cat No. 4383-L-KC-0609 Alcaston Gallery, VIC Cat No. AK15232
EXHIBITED
Perspective of Country, January 2019, Cooee Art Paddington
ARTWORK STORY
“This is a place at the top of the island. It is what we call unseen people country. You have to be very careful up there as they will lead you away and get you lost.”
- Karen Chong
Artist Profile
COMMUNITY/ REGION
Mornington Island, QLD
LANGUAGE
Lardil
BIOGRAPHY
“I was born on Mornington Island. My father was Waanyi a mainlander and my mother Lardil. I went to school and I stayed with my grandparents as my mother was away working on a station on the mainland.
When I was in my twenties I went to live in Normanton and Croydon. I returned to Mornington in 1982 to marry my late husband Bruce Chong. We have 6 children, 2 girls and 4 boys and 17 grandchildren.
I used to do a lot of shell work making pictures by glueing shells onto canvas boards and making necklaces. I started painting at school using chalk and crayons and developed a love of painting at a young age.
Arnold Watt a painter who painted alongside Dick & Lindsey Roughsey taught me a lot when I was young and he told me to keep at it and I'll get better. It was good to come and start painting at the Art Centre with Arnold before he passed away. It made me feel like a real artist.
My husband and I spent a lot of time out bush with our kids. His outstation was at Gabunyaree where we had a house. I used to do shell work and paint at our outstation and sell it around town.
I only recently started painting at the Art Centre so I could join in with the group and not paint on my own. I love to paint about my culture and country. I paint 2 days a week at the Art centre like a part time job and I enjoy being there as part of the Art Centre family enjoying each others company and stories.”
- Karen Chong
REFERENCES
Mornington Island Mirndiyan Gununa Aboriginal Corporation
PROVENANCE
Mornington Island Arts & Craft Cat No. 4383-L-KC-0609 Alcaston Gallery, VIC Cat No. AK15232
EXHIBITED
Perspective of Country, January 2019, Cooee Art Paddington
ARTWORK STORY
“This is a place at the top of the island. It is what we call unseen people country. You have to be very careful up there as they will lead you away and get you lost.”
- Karen Chong
Artist Profile
COMMUNITY/ REGION
Mornington Island, QLD
LANGUAGE
Lardil
BIOGRAPHY
“I was born on Mornington Island. My father was Waanyi a mainlander and my mother Lardil. I went to school and I stayed with my grandparents as my mother was away working on a station on the mainland.
When I was in my twenties I went to live in Normanton and Croydon. I returned to Mornington in 1982 to marry my late husband Bruce Chong. We have 6 children, 2 girls and 4 boys and 17 grandchildren.
I used to do a lot of shell work making pictures by glueing shells onto canvas boards and making necklaces. I started painting at school using chalk and crayons and developed a love of painting at a young age.
Arnold Watt a painter who painted alongside Dick & Lindsey Roughsey taught me a lot when I was young and he told me to keep at it and I'll get better. It was good to come and start painting at the Art Centre with Arnold before he passed away. It made me feel like a real artist.
My husband and I spent a lot of time out bush with our kids. His outstation was at Gabunyaree where we had a house. I used to do shell work and paint at our outstation and sell it around town.
I only recently started painting at the Art Centre so I could join in with the group and not paint on my own. I love to paint about my culture and country. I paint 2 days a week at the Art centre like a part time job and I enjoy being there as part of the Art Centre family enjoying each others company and stories.”
- Karen Chong
REFERENCES
Mornington Island Mirndiyan Gununa Aboriginal Corporation