Dawn's island heritage

‘Aunty’Dawn Blazely, Aboriginal artist

SEPTEMBER 2015 | Sara Fawcett

HOW DO people of one culture understand the art of another?

For example, how do we, as white Australians, understand the intentions and meanings represented by Aboriginal art?

Aboriginal painter Dawn Blazeley is a local Tasmanian artist who conveys her cultural history in a contemporary way for us to experience and perhaps understand.

In Dawn’s words, this enables her to preserve the Aboriginal cultural heritage for future generations.

To assist her in this mission, Dawn has recently received a grant from the Australian government’s Regional Arts Fund to participate in Master Printing workshops at the King Island Arts and Culture Centre.

Bass MP Andrew Nikolic has stated on his website that this fund supports local cultural organisations and artists to create artwork that not only speaks to the community but allows us all to participate in the process of creation.

Through this three day workshop and other exhibitions such as that at Deloraine Creative Studios, Dawn communicates the story of her homeland of Cape Barren Island and her tribe.

“My paintings highlight the strength and spirituality of the land, sea and its ability to sustain my people who inhabit it,” Dawn said.

Dawn has been using painting as a means of expressing the Aboriginal story since having completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the University of Tasmania.

“I have been painting ever since,” she said.

And she will be painting and expressing her story and that of the land for some time yet.

“When I started this artistic journey many years ago I did not consider I would spend my middle years of life painting and drawing, but I must say it has been a fantastic time of my life,” she said.

Dawn’s work can be seen at Deloraine Creative Studios: open 10.00am to 4.00pm daily.

Photo | Mike Moores