A First Nations art gallery and creative studio has opened its doors in Castlemaine on Dja Dja Wurrung Country.
Gabirra* is a warm and engaging space that begs to be entered.
Full of bright, detailed dot paintings, a sandbox in the centre is connection to Country, imprinted with stories thousands of years old, and a dedicated workshop space in the back.
Owner Arkeria Rose Armstrong, a talented Gamilaraay, Bigambul, Yuwaalaraay artist, with kinship connections to Yorta Yorta mob, is a near-permanent fixture behind the counter, her grey curls obscuring her face as she works to share her stories and the stories of her ancestors, in her carefully crafted works.
“My mother’s mother would teach us stories in the sand, and it was through that storytelling and symbolism that I learnt the stories and how to visually see things,” Arkeria said.
“A lot of my work is done from that birds-eye view, because when she would teach us, we were looking down at the stories.
“That way of sharing with people is learnt and embodied through seeing it, feeling it and living it.
“The sand in the shop is from my grandmother’s Country. While we try to get home regularly, it’s 14 hours, so having the sand allows me to connect to my Country even though I’m not living on it,” she said.
Arkeria’s 10-year-old daughter, Harriet McGhee (of Gamilaraay, Bigambul, Yuwaalaraay and Filipino heritage), has followed in the footsteps of her maternal bloodline, creating her own pieces that will appear in the gallery (there’s none there now because she sold out on opening night!).
Over the past decade, Arkeria has exhibited her work in a variety of galleries, including multiple exhibitions in the Aboriginal Art Gallery Rotterdam in the Netherlands. She has developed her storytelling through creative practice, creating the foundation of the development of programs and workshops centred around themes of identity, connection to Country, Culture and healing.
She has completed her teaching qualifications and has facilitated programs and provided mentorship for young First Nations women.
“My way is giving people a shared learning and teaching space. The role of learner and teacher isn’t set; it’s a more collaborative way to come into a space. For me, it’s a grounding force to be like, ‘We’ve told this story for generations’,” she said.
“I like to bring in different ways to connect to Country through weaving and kangaroo hide-burning workshops. I use emu eggs from a local emu farm, which we carve and paint, and I hope to run some storytelling painting workshops.”
Arkeria offers a variety of workshops at Gabirra, including: Cultural Humility, Cultural Connection, Creative and School workshops.
“I feel very honoured that generationally I have been held and taught. I feel honoured that people want to share their stories with me,” Arkeria said.
“I create a space for storytelling and sharing to happen, and then what that evolves into for people is theirs.”
www.gabirra.com.au
*Arkeria’s baagii (grandmother) named her after the water lily (Gabirra), a plant that grows on her Country and one that continues to connect and teach her.
