Aboriginal Fine Art

Tribe: Noongar

Area: Dumbleyung, WA

Born: 1964

Biography:

Yondee was born in 1964 in Dumbleyung 270km south of Perth, Western Australia. His tribe is called Noongar. The name Dumbleyung is derived from the Aboriginal word ‘Dambeling’ meaning large lake, and refers to the lake nearby which is the largest in south west WA. Yondee remembers this lake as a child and being told stories of the Waygal (rainbow serpent) in its waters.

His grandfather and father told him stories about hunting by drawing in the sand. At age ten, Yondee would travel and visit his aunties on the Swan River and would collect paper bark to help them with their artwork. It was here that he began his paintings with his older relatives.

Yondee is an experienced and accomplished artist who is developing a way of working with the traditional materials of sand and ochre to describe the stories and dreamtime of his people.

He wishes to continue the stories of his grandfather. These stories were told to him as ground paintings in the sand and he feels the translation is important to portray them to new audiences. By painting with sand it expresses a connection with Mother Earth and her healing powers.

Yondee has painted with the Campfire group of Aboriginal artists in Brisbane as well as exhibiting his work in a number of galleries all over Australia as well as overseas (United States, Ireland and Lausanne- Switzerland).

Exhibitions:

1996 - TOAAC, Burpengary Queensland
1997 - Black Fellas Dreaming, Paddington Sydney
2000 - Campfire Group, Fireworks Gallery Brisbane
2001 – TOAAC, Lausanne Switzerland
2004 – Burleigh Heads Art Group in the Park, Gold Coast Queensland
2005 – Brothers in Art, Footsteps Gallery Brisbane Queensland
2005 – Moobearbaygiil (Many Black People), Bond University Gold Coast Queensland
2005/2006 – International Woodford Festival, Queensland
2007 – Urban Dreaming, Inala Community Arts Centre Queensland
2007 – Australian Outback Gallery, Powerhouse Museum Queensland
2007 – Reflections in Art, Footsteps Gallery Brisbane Queensland