Aboriginal artists across Ngunnawal country use their paintings to reflect their own personal culture, identity, and healing journeys, while teaching all Australians to embrace the traditional owners of our land. In this series, we speak with five artists living on Ngunnawal country who share their individual stories of growing up on country, cultural connection and healing their minds through art.
In this article, we chat with the incredible artist, Sarah Richards.
“I was always creative, ever since I can remember,” Ms Richards said.
“I did stop painting during school, and it wasn’t until after I finished uni that I was able to pick up the brush again, but when I did, I found my happiness.”
Sarah Richards is a proud Ngiyampaa woman who was born on Gadigal land and grew up on Wiradjuri and Yugambeh country, before setting down roots on Ngunnawal country in 2012.
After realising she needed to embark on a journey of healing, art became the centre of her life and reflected her feelings of cultural disconnection and making peace with her ancestral trauma.
“My great grandmother was part of the Stolen Generation and was taken to Cootamundra Girls’ Home, so she was unable to pass down traditional stories and culture,” Ms Richards said.
“I grew knowing I was Aboriginal, but there wasn’t a lot of other Aboriginal kids at school, so it wasn’t until I moved down here that I connected with other Aboriginal people and learnt more about my Aboriginal culture and history.”
Her artistic vision for her business, Marrawuy Journeys, reflects healing as individuals so we can all heal as a country, and finding a healthy outlet to release trauma through art.
Caring for her wellbeing and mental health through her self-taught art practice and telling her own stories and experiences through contemporary art has been pivotal in Ms Richards’ life.
When her Canberran father figure died from cancer, soon followed by her nan unexpectedly passing away on her birthday, she was struggling with processing her grief.
“My most impactful piece of art was one I created for Palliative Care Australia a couple of years ago, and it was just after my nan had passed. There’s no way I could have created that piece without what I was going through and it allowed me to process my grief through art,” Ms Richards said.
“I try to focus on what I do have, and not on what I don’t have.”
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