The final Art with the Stars project for 2022 was completed in Halls Creek, with the secondary students taking part in a painting project.
The project was designed for the girls to connect, learn and share their connections to Halls Creek through culture, family and community. Over 13 students and Shooting Stars staff painted their connections to Country and land on a variety of canvases. The finished work was then showcased at the annual Awards Night, held on the 23rd of November.
Halls Creek Jaru artist, Kathy Long, mentored the students at the start of the project by showing her recently sold art pieces and talking about how she paints country. Shooting Stars Program Assistant, Tanalia Kitching, also enjoyed mentoring the girls through the program and creating artwork alongside the girls. Tanalia is a strong Kija and Gurindji young leader at Shooting Stars and was proud to put her connections on canvas. Throughout this process, she was also able to share her story with the girls as her artwork progressed.
Tanalia’s artwork reflected her connection to her family and told the story of her journey through life’s challenges, meeting new people and visiting new places along the way.
East Kimberley Regional Manager, Julie Dupen, reflected on the project and its effect on the girls. “The artwork showcased the girls’ positive connections and their feeling of a strong sense of belonging to Country and community. I honestly believe that one of the most powerful things in life is to find who you are and to know where you belong,” she said.
“Our students have captured this sense of belonging through their art. They’ve expressed stories through art that captured their connection to their family, Country, and culture. This art represents our girls being proud to be from this community and highlights the utmost respect they have for Country and culture. It was amazing to see how proud families were of their child’s art.”
