|
Written by Eliza Stephens
|
|
 Roz Yakas with Alice Guinness and one of Alice’s Bundut Ground paintings Roebourne, known as Yirramagadu to the region’s indigenous peoples, is a place rich in culture and arts and nowhere is this more evident than at the Roebourne Art Group.
Located in a small unassuming building in Roe Street, from the outside it is impossible to know the rich variety of artwork which awaits inside.
In a town which has had a lot of negative publicity, the Roebourne Art Group provides opportunity for indigenous peoples of the area to contribute in a positive way, and gives them hope for the future.
Roz Yakas is manager of the Roebourne Art Group and is relatively new to the role.
From Adelaide, she has previously worked as a primary teacher but has always had an interest in Aboriginal art, collecting works herself.
“There are about 50 artists all up which come and go, but we have about seven core artists here who are regulars,”says Roz.
“Some of the artists like to paint here at the studio and some prefer to work from home.”
The group’s core artists include accomplished artists such as Pansy Hicks, recipient of a prestigious 2008 Telstra Art Award and Cossack Art Award prize winner Loreen Samson.
Much of Loreen’s work has political undertones, such as the stolen generation or the loss of cultural grounds.
One of her paintings is on exhibit at the National Museum in Canberra.
Another core artist of the group, Alice Guinness, paints Bundut Ground, which is representations of the circles in the ground after ceremony and contain many bright colours.
Other artworks hanging in the group’s gallery are of the more traditional indigenous style, recounting traditional stories while others are less abstract landscapes.
Roz describes the work of the artists as a “merging of the contemporary and traditional”, evident in the baskets on display, weaved by the artists with leaves and then covered with bright wool.
Roz says that the artists work towards two annual exhibitions in Perth.
“We have the ‘Colours of Country’ exhibition in Perth in September, sponsored by Rio Tinto, and another exhibition sponsored by Woodside in Perth, which is exclusively for Roebourne Art Group,” explains Roz.
The core artists also all prepare works for the Cossack Art Awards, which will be held in July.
The majority of the artists’ work is paintings on canvas, however there is also a glass kiln in the studio for use.
“Glass artists from Perth came last year to demonstrate the kiln and will visit again this year to do another workshop,” says Roz.
Roz’s role as manager is to work alongside the artists, ordering materials, organising exhibitions and grant funding applications.
The group is jointly funded by government grants and sponsorship from Rio Tinto and Woodside.
The group does not only cater for established indigenous artists, but also for beginners.
“We are encouraging of aspiring and emerging artists and welcome beginners who may wish to experiment,” says Roz.
The Roebourne Art Group is located at 27 Roe Street, Roebourne and is the gallery is open to the public to browse and for artwork sales at a range of prices.
Call 9182 1899 for more details. |
More LOCAL News 
