This highly textured artwork shares the story of Taree and Manning Valley Local Land Service (LLS) and their work alongside community to care for country and create resilient communities in productive healthy landscapes.
The Biripi and Worimi people are represent within the design by two prominent people symbols sitting in the highest positions within the artwork. These symbols depict the elevated position of Elders, acknowledging traditional owners and the cultural wisdom and practises Aboriginal people bring. Outlined in silvery grey the symbolism is reflective of the totems of the tribal groups, being the Shark for Biripi and the Dolphin for the Worimi.
Flowing across the canvas traditional people symbols highlight that “it’s about people” gathering, sharing information and making good decisions to sustain life, support healthy environments and protect people. The seven people symbols within the design is significant as it highlights LLS values of Accountability, Collaboration, Innovation, Integrity, Performance, Service and Trust. Flowing across the canvas this imagery depicts past, present and future generations and going forward together in caring for the country we leave our children.
Central to the artwork three large gathering circles interlink, representing Taree and Manning Valley LLS and their commitment to reconciliation and community partnerships.
This imagery holds a threefold meaning:
- Reflects reconciliation action plan around three key areas: Respect, Relationships and Opportunities
- Highlights collaboration, sharing the journey and shared vision.
- Depicts Taree and Manning Valley LLS three stakeholders’ groups.
These three blue gathering circles also represent the traditional symbol for water and along with the many water ways depicted within the artworks, reflect the area’s beautiful coastline, Islands, estuaries, Great Lakes, flood plains and rivers systems from escarpment to coast found within the Manning Valley area. The escarpment is depicted within the artwork, engraved within the three mountain imagery, which flows across the top of the artwork, which is symbolic of the dream time story of the three brother who are buried on the three mountains.
Native bush tucker is symbolised through the lily pilly twig engraved within the design, along with native animals, which are represented by kangaroo prints engravings. The diverse representation of water life and the LLS marine program is reflected by the fish imagery at the bottom of the artwork, while a bird soaring high over the landscape represents the abundance of coast birds and native birdlife to be found.
Gumtree within the design are reflective of the areas native vegetation, while interwoven with waterways across a majority of the artwork, green engraved imagery depicts natural landscapes of bushland, rainforest and wetlands, along with sandy coloured areas highlighting saline coastal wetlands, sand grass, mangroves and salt marsh areas. of the regions open space grasslands, agriculture farm and grazing lands. Middens, discarded shellfish over thousands of years, found in abundance around the area’s many waterways is interwoven across the bottom left of the artwork.
Size: 900 x 600 mm
Date: November 2020
Medium: Mixed medium
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