Local Elder, Robert Webb, and Jamie Parker, State MP for Balmain
Margaret Campbell from the Rocks Dreaming Aboriginal Heritage Tour and ‘Becca’
Di talking with Jamie Parker, the State Member for Balmain, who opened the exhibition
A Card from Balmain Secondary Students to welcome Mervyn Rubuntja to our community
Artwork created by local children from Artspark to welcome Mervyn Rubuntja
Julie Simmon’s painting completed at Tali Gallery. Julie is the Combined Art Societies of Sydney’s Artist of the Year!
Outback Pride native foods ready for taste testing
Mervyn Rubuntja and Julie Simmons painting away during the course of the day at Tali Gallery.
Tilly’s very kindly donated materials for Mervyn Rubuntja’s visit!
Sophia produced the Namatjira Play which toured Australia telling the story of Albert Namatjira
Tali Gallery was pleased to work with the Ngurratjuta Many Hands Art Centre to host a visit from Mervyn Rubuntja who paints in the style of Albert Namatjira.
It is perhaps not as well known as it should be that the multitude of styles that came out of the Desert Art movement have their single point of origin in the Hermannsburg School of water colour painting founded in the 1930s by Rex Battarbee and Albert Namatjira. Namatjira not only showed what was possible for an indigenous artist to achieve; he also provided a template for the early work of such distinguished painters as Clifford Possum and Turkey Tolson. Later artists like Wenten Rubuntja painted in both realist and abstract styles and Wenten remarked on one occasion that the first is about country, the second about law. In other words, the two styles are not opposed to each other, but complementary. More recently Wenten’s son Mervyn gave a moving account of how, when he paints landscapes, he first hears the country singing through him and it is that song that guides the hand that holds the brush. There are thus important, indeed spiritual meanings in water colour painting, just as there are in other styles of Aboriginal art.  (Courtesy of author, Martin Edmond)
- Our Community Liaison contact and friends from the Rozelle Neighbourhood Centre, Lisa with her son, Christopher.
Julie Simmons, Combined Art Societies of Sydney’s Artist of the Year, painting at Tali Gallery
A forum on collecting art ethically and life in Community Art Centres
Local kids presenting welcome cards to Mervyn Rubuntja at Tali Gallery
Connecting Communities – Mervyn Rubuntja’s visit to Tali Gallery
There were lots of wonderful guests, visitors, experiences and events throughout the day and in our community. A big thanks to Tilly’s Art Supplies for donating materials, and to our local cafes and restaurants who supported Indigenous culture coming to Rozelle by serving Indigenous Treats on the day – especially Rosebud and About Life!