New Artists and Artwork: A Celebration of Fresh Voices
Welcoming new artists into our family is one of the most joyful parts of what we do. It means fresh colours on the canvas, new stories to tell, and a new collection brimming with pieces we have never offered before. Importantly, it also means that more artists are sharing the stories of their culture and benefiting financially from the expression of their traditions. This season we are especially delighted to share the art of three exceptional talents whose work carries the warmth of Country, the rhythm of water, the magnificent landscapes, and the indigenous flora and fauna.
With every piece you will find something to keep, to give, and to remember. We are proud to introduce the artistry of Justina Willis, Allery Sandy, and Marlene Harold.
Justina Willis and “Our Country”
Justina Willis was born in Leigh Creek in South Australia in 1981. Her dad was from Adelaide. Her mother was Yindjibarndi from the Millstream Tableland Country and lived in Roebourne. The family moved from Adelaide to Broome and she began painting in high school.
Justina paints with a deep sense of belonging. Her work reflects the ties between kin, land, and memory that have carried her through seasons of change. She often speaks about the places that raised her and the way family stories turn into colours and pathways on the canvas. Her practice grew from community workshops with family at the back of the Pilbarra Aboriginal Church and Yinjaa-Barni Art Centre. Over the years she honed a unique style that balances careful detail with fine stroke and dot work. You can feel the patience in her brushwork and the quiet confidence of someone who paints what she knows to be true.
Justina experiments with colour concepts and often uses optical colour mixing to create a third dimension to her work using acrylic on canvas to paint in bold shapes. Her work is inspired by the bush and the colours of her country, especially the Pilabara area. Her paintings invite you in and give room to find your own place within the story.
She has won several awards, including Cossack Art Awards for Best Art Work Pilbara Artist (2013), Emerging Indigenous Artist Prize (2008 and 2010) and the Flora and Fauna Prize (2019).
About the artwork: “Our Country”
“Our Country” is a map of feeling as much as a map of place. The composition radiates outward with earthy tones as an anchor, and the blue of the rivers after rain to add contrast. You can trace pathways that wind through the painting and come to rest at small meeting circles. Each circle suggests connection. People arrive, share food, bush medicine and stories, and move on. No line is hurried. Each mark looks set with care.
The title says everything. This is not a painting of “the” country. It is “our” country. There is room for family, for neighbours, and for the visitors who come with respect. The colours shift gently, much like a landscape passing from afternoon into evening. In one corner the tones deepen, as if the land takes a long breath. In another the palette opens to catch a glimpse of a waterhole. The balance makes the painting feel alive in your hands.
“We don’t just live on the land. We live with it, in it, as part of it.”
How to connect with this piece:
Stand back and let your eye travel the pathways. Think of the journeys you have taken to see those you love and the places where you meet and feel known.
Allery Sandy and “Pilbarra Creeks”
Born in Roeburn, Allery Sandy is a proud Yindjibarndi woman, daughter of Sandy Andrews and Lila King and is the fourth of eleven children.
Allery started painting in 2006, enrolling in short courses in painting and design. She loves to paint the landscape of her Country from an aerial perspective. She begins her works with an underpainting using sponge and brush work and then finishes off with a fine layer of dot work, creating a sense of movement and depth of field on the canvas. Her style continues to expand and more recently she has started painting aerial landscapes with fine line work.
Allery is known aerial views of her homelands, first sparked by the view from a plane from Karratha to Perth. That early impression shaped a practice that is both rhythmic and generous, exploring the landscapes during different seasons and letting each piece sing in its own voice. Her technique suggests flow and depth, with a stunning and suggestive use of colour.
In community she is a mentor who encourages younger artists to look closely at what they love and to trust the picture that their hands already know how to make.
Sandy received national recognition as a finalist in the 2012 National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Awards with her painting “Country in Spring”. Two years later she won top prize in the WA Indigenous section of the Cossack Art Awards.
About the artwork: “Pilbara Creeks”
“Pilbarra Creeks” captures the pulse of water rushing through a dry land when the season turns. The painting builds in layers. You first see the sweep of the creeks as they braid and separate, then the small details come forward: pebble beds, eddies, and the shimmer of sediment as it lifts and settles again.
“This piece captures a cherished part of life on Country - when the rains come, the creeks swell, wildflowers bloom, and families gather to fish, cook, and reconnect.”
Allery’s handling of space makes the work breathe. There is forward motion that carries you across the surface, then spaces where the eye can rest. The effect is both energising and calm. You can feel the relief of the first big rain and the steady promise of water moving where it needs to go. It is a portrait of renewal. Plants drink. Birds return. People gather on the banks to watch the creeks come alive.
Marlene Harold and “Morning Mist”
Marlene Harold was born on the Millstream Tablelands before finishing her schooling in Roebourne. She began painting in 2006 at Yinjaa-Barni Art where her strong artistic aptitude was witnessed by her colleagues and mentors.
Marlene employs a variety of techniques such as dot painting with splatter and stick work to create her artworks, and enjoys learning new techniques which she adapts to her own style. Her works are both bold and restrained, allowing the mood of the painting to resonate.
Her images rest on observation and patience rather than spectacle. She honours small wonders like where the rain touches the earth, mist and the flowers that bloom only when the land is ready.
About the artwork: “Morning Mist”
“Morning Mist” is a quiet moment held in colour. With a stunning background of blue, the vibrant colours of the wildflowers float across the surface with detailed dot work accentuating their beauty. The edges soften and draw you inward whilst the top edge hunts at the unfolding day.
This is a work for those who love flowers and the calm of first light. It does not demand attention, it rewards it.
“Beauty grows quietly—between the grasses, after the rain.”
Why these artworks belong together
Though each artist has a distinct voice, the three works speak to each other in beautiful ways. “Our Country” centres connection to place and people. “Pilbara Creeks” carries the energy of renewal through water. “Morning Mist” gives us a moment of stillness where we can listen. Together they form a circle of belonging. We move from community to movement to quiet, which is how many of our days unfold. The collection invites you to find your rhythm and to share it with those you love.
A note on meaningful gifting
Art can be the most personal gift. It carries memory and intention into a home. When you choose a work by Justina, Allery, or Marlene you are also supporting creative lives and the communities that nurture them. If you are selecting a piece for someone far away, include a handwritten note about why you chose that artwork for them. Mention the story that moved you. Share a moment from your own life that the piece brought to mind. This turns a beautiful object into a lasting bond.
Our all new products which feature “our Country” include:
- Scarf – 100% recycled modal fabric, 172 x 102cm.
- Mobile phone lanyard – Durable and effortlessly practical
- Keyrings – A small reminder of our country
- Glasses cases – soft and stylish, with a button closure and soft lining
- Travel mugs – Stainless-steel to keep drinks cold for up to 12 hours or hot for 6 hours.
Thank you for taking the time to discover these artists with us. We invite you to explore the collection, find the piece that speaks to you, and let it become part of your story.