Claudia Haines

Bundadjaany-galang Exhibition

To celebrate NAIDOC week this exhibition features three First People’s artists Amy Daniel, Bernard Higgins and Claudia Haines.

Amy Daniel is a proud Nukunu and Wilyakali woman. She was born and raised in Queanbeyan on the New South Wales / Australian Capital Territory border, with her ancestors being from Nukunu and Wilyakali country near Broken Hill and Port Augusta.

Amy grew up facing constant questions about her heritage and culture, partly from the negative comments of others in her community because she looked different. Whilst this made her angry, she now uses this experience to educate and help others.

When Amy was in year 2 there was an Aboriginal man named Uncle Duncan who came to her school to teach art and mentor. Amy immediately fell in love with painting and used it as an outlet for her creativity and to overcome the challenges she had when she was younger. She credits this experience with Uncle Duncan as her inspiration for creating art still today.

Since living on Wiradjuri country in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Amy has discovered the importance of being on and caring for Country. It’s this connection to Country, along with the lessons she learnt growing up about her heritage and culture, that are the main focuses of the art she creates today.

Wagga Wagga based animator, Bernard Higgins, is a proud Wiradyuri man who has graduated from the Charles Sturt University (CSU) with a Bachelor of Creative Arts (Animation and Visual Effects), a Bachelor of Science with First Class Honours, and a Graduate Certificate in Wiradyuri Language, Culture, and Heritage. His animations and films have been displayed in art galleries, and museums, across New South Wales. A collection of Bernard’s digital prints are celebrated in this exhibition.

Claudia Haines is developing her style as an artist with this being her first exhibition. Claudia is inspired by her family and the stories told to her by her grandmother.