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TAFE students showcase exciting new work!
On October 19th, as part of the Go Troppo Arts Festival, Mossman TAFE will be coordinate an exhibition at the Community Centre in Port Douglas. TAFE stands for "Tertiary and Further Education" and is a well known and well loved educational institution in Australia, offering a wide variety of certificate and degree courses across many disciplines. Mossman is a little sugar town, set at the base of majestic mountains, with the mythical, aboriginal figure, Kubirri, watching over it from on high. Mossman TAFE currently runs Certificate III and Certificate IV in both Visual Art and Cultural Art.
One of the few classes to offer the certificate to both mainstream and indigenous people in the same room, the program has resulted in strong cross-fertilization of ideas and concepts between the two groups and led to the establishment of the Jawan-Garrda Group (Us Friends) in 2006.
With an emphasis on cultural integrity, the artists work in a variety of disciplines, including linoprints, painting and textile designs and have recently added silk painting to their repertoire.
Indigenous artists have been supported by both the Memento program (gifts for incentive groups and visiting dignitaries)and Arts Queensland.
With financial support from a Regional Arts Development Fund grant they are working to develop culturally appropriate products for the tourist market, which they aim to show at the exhibition.
As well as both indigenous and mainstream artists, TAFE is proud to present the results from a weaving workshop held in honour of the memory of Nana Walker, a highly respected Kuku Yalanji Elder who inspired many people both indigenous and non-indigenous to learn the ancient techniques of weaving with black palm.
To celebrate the exhibition and to acknowledge the ancestors and traditional owners, a welcome ceremony with the Goobidi dancers will be performed at the opening on Saturday 19th at 10am.
The exhibition will remain open both Saturday and Sunday between 10am and 5pm.
Diana Abiad
Diana has been a professional artist in the local area for over 25 years and has coordinated the TAFE Arts program for the last two years.
With a background in mural design and printmaking, Diana is responsible for several large murals in Cairns Base Hospital including the Paediatric Treatment room, and children’s waiting rooms in Accident and Emergency.
An accomplished painter, Diana has had several major commissions, including a painting of the road to Cooktown via Black Mountain, which forms part of the Queensland State Collection.
Building on a fine arts degree from Santa Monica College in California, Diana has completed further studies in Cultural Development and remains committed to working with indigenous artists to help preserve and maintain cultural identity.
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