Cedric Varcoe at Tali Gallery
HUNTING FOR EMU
Nurunderi turned small birds into Ngarrinjeri people and he also made the big emu and other big animals for the men and young boys to hunt and feed the whole tribe. The men passed down Nurunderi’s stories to the young men of the next generation so they could continue to provide for the Ngarinjeri people.
Cedric Varcoe at Tali Gallery
NEPELLE AND HIS MAGIC FIRE STICK
Nurunderi’s two wives tricked his brother, Wyungare to marry them and all three ran off. Nurunderi chased them for a long time but could not catch them.
Nepelle, the great man of the heavens set out to separate the three. He lit a magic fire which chased them.
Cedric Varcoe at Tali Gallery
WYUNGARE AND HIS WIVES
Nurunderi’s two wives tricked his brother, Wyungare to marry them and all three ran off. Nurunderi chased them for a long time but could not catch them.
Nepelle, the great man of the heavens set out to separate the three. He lit a magic fire which chased them. Wyungare asked Nepelle to save his wives who threw them a spear tied to a rope to ascend to the Milky Way where they became stars in the Eastern Sky. Nurunderi is still looking for the fugitives in the Milky Way so he can punish them for breaking his law which he set in place when he created the Ngarrinjeri Country with his magic powers, using the big rain clouds, lightning and thunder.
Cedric Varcoe at Tali Gallery
Nurunderi, Nepelle and Wyungare in the Milky Way
Cedric Varcoe at Tali Gallery
NURUNDERI CREATING THE RAINBOW
Nurunderi created a big rain cloud to help everything grow in Ngarrinjeri country and afterwards, and with the help of the rain, he made a rainbow with his magic powers to show everyone that there is fresh water for people all over our country.
Cedric Varcoe’s grandfather was given the name, Benjamin Varcoe. Â Curiously, Di also has an ancestor by this name, an Irishman who struck gold at Bendigo or Ballarat according to family anecdotes.
Cedric contacted us and we’ve been enthralled by his artwork and stories as well as being keen to find out more about our family links.
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Coinciding with Tali G’s birthday celebrations, we’re very pleased to bring Cedric’s work to Sydney.  Rich with cultural heritage, we are keen to convey his inherited stories passed down over generations.  His traditional themes include Thunder and Lightning and Astronomy, Hunting for Emu, Ngurunderi the Creator and various dreamings.   We find them fascinating and enlightening and hope you will too.
Cedric was born in Adelaide in 1984 with strong family connection to Raukkan and Point Pearce. His language group and tribe is Narangga Ngarrindjeri.  He started painting at about 8, watching his sisters and mother, aunties and uncles, with his preferred subjects being lizards, snakes and men hunting.  He has painted over a period of about 15 years.
In 2008, he completed a mural in one of the cells at the Port Pirie Police Station, hoping to inspire young people who have been arrested, to try to help them to have a better outlook on life, to think that they might be able to paint and express themselves creatively.
He has won the Port Pirie Art Prize in 2009 and 2010 as well as more recently in 2013, the Malka Art Prize in Port Augusta and the Kadina Kernewek Lowender Art Prize.
Cedric has been exhibiting since 1997, including participation in the Men of the Ngarrindjeri Exhibitions in the Murray Bridge Regional Gallery and the Frankston Art Centre in Victoria, Our Mob exhibitions touring throughout South Australia, and the Mpurlaarra Artists’ Group Exhibition at Tandanya among others.
Cedric’s work is included in private collections and he has also been commissioned to create artworks for businesses.
His paintings range in price from $340 for a small work (eg Rainbow Dreaming);  to  $3120 for the largest framed painting, Hunting for Emu (maximum).
Come along to our birthday celebrations on Sunday afternoon, October 20 and discover Cedric’s paintings. Â We’re certain you’ll find them as compelling as we do!