NAIDOC ART CLASS_ Gerard Black workshop

Event: Exploring the Dreaming through First Nations Art

Hosted by Gerard Black - First Nations Artist from Worimi Country

Join us for an exclusive event where Gerard Black, a proud Worimi artist, will share his journey and current artwork, which explores the deep connection between First Nations people and country. Gerard’s paintings reflect the ancient homes of his ancestors, known in his Guthang language as Gugirr or Gunya—bark shelters and bush houses that once dotted the landscape.

As a young adult, Gerard trained as a carpenter, but as a child, he found himself building cubby houses by the creeks along the Surf Coast, a practice that sparked his lifelong connection to the land and the history of his people. As an artist, he now paints these ancient structures, envisioning a time when his ancestors lived harmoniously along the river and shorelines.

Each of his paintings features the roof structure of these ancestral homes, viewed from above, providing a unique perspective that connects both to the Dreaming and to the past. Gerard will guide you through his artistic process and share the stories behind each piece, from his vision of a village made up of mob across this country, to the imagery of community, ceremony, and daily life as it would have been.

Gerard’s work is deeply personal, inspired by his experiences on country and his reflections on the ancient remnants of homes and campgrounds he’s encountered. His work also draws inspiration from the paintings of Joseph Lycett and reflects the ongoing relationship between past and present, allowing us to imagine what it would have been like to live as his ancestors did—understanding the cultural significance of these structures and how their survival for thousands of years still speaks to the resilience of his people today.

This event offers a chance to engage with Gerard’s art, hear his personal reflections, and connect to the stories of First Nations people through visual storytelling. It’s a rare opportunity to gain insight into the intersection of culture, history, and art, as well as Gerard’s aspirations to reconnect with the way of life that once was, and the implications of bringing it back into modern society.