Fine Art

Shirley Collins (Yumala)

Through art and design I can help people, especially our young people, to better understand Indigenous Australia.

When I make art, I’m sharing with you some of the special places for my people, the Pitta-Pitta People of Western Queensland. I’m showing you some of the wonderful places around my home here in North Queensland.

Yumala and her fine artwork, Rivers of Life

Art is also my way of celebrating my culture and recalling the stories and imagery passed down to me.

I have been creating art and design works for over 25 years. I am inspired by the land, the people, the animals, the plants, the waterways and of course my own family traditions and stories.

My People’s totem is the Brolga. You’ll see Brolgas in my paintings sometimes, its that tall, grey stork with bright red legs. They dance in pairs on the wetlands and are very majestic birds. Brolga is also your companion in the bush. You’ll never be lost when Brolga is looking after you…showing you the way back home.

I work with acrylic paint on canvas mainly. I like the vivid colours of acrylics because they are just like the colours here in North Queensland where I live. I also create sculpture, mixed media and installation works.

At the moment, I am studying digital media and it’s exciting to be able to tell our stories in film and documentaries.

It’s good that Aboriginal people are making the films about their cultures now. That’s the proper way…how it should be.