Deep earthy hues of healing greens and browns, soft oranges and pinks take us to Kalkadoon country, the land from which these ladies draw their inspiration.
Meet Glenda McCulloch, one of the four parts of the talented all-sister team - Cungelella Art. Glenda founded the brand in 2019 and since then she and her sisters Jaunita, Dale and Cheryl have created many stunning artistic interpretations of their beloved traditional land.
Glenda recently collaborated with Life Apparel to create a beautiful artwork entitled Protect Country for the Naidoc 2021 collection. Come join us for a quick chat with the artist as offers a personal insight into herself and the deeper meanings behind the work of Cungelella Art.
Tell us a little about yourself and the rest of the Cungelella Art team.
We are Kalkadoon women from mount Isa in North-west Queensland. We also have connections to the the Central Desert Sandover river where our great grandmother Myrrdah was born. We paint our homelands - Kalkatungu Country.
How did the place you grew up in influence your work as artists?
The desert out here is very warm and earthy the colours we use are a true representation of the country we call home. We paint the landscapes, the red and orange ridges, the peachy coloured sunsets the old pearly gum trees and the rich ochres that are surrounded by abundance of Spinifex and our unique native flora and fauna.
"We come from the earth and we return to the earth and complete the healing cycle."
What does the theme Heal Country! mean to you you personally?
When we walk barefoot on our traditional country, We get the energy and vibes from our land and when we eat our traditional food and drink the water we are connecting to the land. If we don’t look after the country the country won’t look after us then the connections and the healing is broken. We come from the earth and we return to the earth and complete the healing cycle.
What was the intention behind your artwork - Protect Country - created for the Naidoc 2021 collection?
Promoting, preserving and raising awareness of the healing benefits that our majestic Eucalyptus gum tree provides and by reflecting on the beauty and the enjoyment we are reminded of the importance this tree brings for our people.
This collection features a beautiful combination of green hues, can you explain what these colours represent to you?
This particular hue of green that is reflected in our artwork is that of the beautiful old gums that surround our homelands. Green relieves stress and helps to heal.
Who do you hope to see wearing your Protect Country collection?
We would love to see everyone wearing our shirts because we all need to promote preservation of our earth which is under great threat.
Any final thoughts to leave us with?
Promote, protect and preserve.
If you'd like to see more from the Cungelella Art sisters, you can follow their work on Instagram here.
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