AUNTY Robyn Davis, a Wadi Wadi woman from Balranald, is an award-winning artist whose paintings has been displayed all over the country in art galleries, posters and bookmarks, and even Parliament House.
This time, her art will be showcased in the Balranald Art Gallery, along with works from women in her family.
Davis said the upcoming exhibition, Sista Girls, was one of the more unique ones she would be part of.
“It will be very eclectic, because of the different mediums and styles of artworks there,” Davis said.
“It’s not just paintings. It’s very different from what I’ve seen before, and I’ve been to a lot of exhibitions.”
The exhibition will incorporate crafting and weaving from natural materials from Davis’ daughter Brooke Peace, and her nieces Tracey and Nicole Davis, as well as her sister Donna Gorey.
However, Davis said this might be her last exhibition after years of dealing with severe arthritis.
“I don’t know how long I’ll be able to keep painting,” she said.
“I’m a bit debilitated in regard to my health with my hands. I have splints on both hands.
“It just seemed to be a bit much for me to to do by myself, and that’s why I got the girls involved.”
Davis said it was the first time her sister Donna, and her two nieces Nicole and Tracy Davis will be exhibiting their work.
Tracy and Nicole’s contemporary weaving and crafting is heavily inspired by Davis’ mother.
“My mother was a crafter, and she won many first prizes at the Melbourne Show with her crochery,” Davis said.
“My mum tried to teach her granddaughters to crochet but they just couldn’t get the hang of it and then once she died they got all her materials, and that’s when they started getting interested in fibre craft and doing all these fibrey things.
“I think her spirit has gone into those girls.”
Davis said that while she likes to explore fabric and weaving, painting was always something she stuck to.
“I couldn’t do what my mum did, so I went on to painting,” she said.
“I was doing art almost ever since I was born. I always had a pencil in my hand ever since I could remember.”
Ms Davis, an Anglican priest and the first Indigenous woman to be ordained into the Bendigo diocese, said her faith also inspired her art.
Sista Girls will be opening at the Balranald Art Gallery on August 3, and will be available until October 1.
