By Michael Doran
Opening in January at Hearth Gallery is an exhibition by Healesville aboriginal artist, Graham Patterson.
Hearth Galleries Creative Director, Chris Joy said, “His works are vibrant shades of ochre depicting predominantly reptiles.
“His style is often powerfully geometric with the reptiles often overlaid on one another or entwined. His work makes a significant statement about the importance of local Aboriginal art, and the significant cultural and historic links to Coranderrk.”
Graham Patterson is a Taungurung Yorta Yorta man who brings his love of native reptiles to life through his paintings.
“I love painting goannas and snakes,” he said. “I’ve lost track of my totem but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was the snake or goanna, as my paintings flow when I paint them.”
“I’ve lived in Healesville all my life and I love painting to keep the culture alive and to paint the way I feel about being a Koorie person. If we didn’t paint we would lose our culture and our stories.”
His connection to Coranderrk Station is through his great great grandmother, Lydia Briggs “She lived at the station and her daughter Lizzie Edmunds was my great grandmother,” he said.
“Lydia Briggs died in Maloga in 1885 after being told to leave Coranderrk and to leave her children behind. When she arrived in Maloga she asked if she could return to get her children and was told she couldn’t. This was after Superintendent Green had left Coranderrk.”
As well as a painter he is a sculptor with permanent installations of his work on display at the Healesville Library and Healesville Indigenous Community Services Association.
The exhibition runs throughout January and February at Hearth Galleries in Healesville.
