About the Artist

Ray Blacklock, Queensland Premier Hon. Anna Bligh, Heather Blacklock and Ray Rambert at Yorga/Woman exhibition

In the beginning…

Our ancestors communicated with their fingers and sticks by drawing pictures in the sand. As time moved on, new technology came in the form of paint, by mixing sandstone ochre and crushed plant material. The paintings shared the earth’s colours. Bark paintings were treasured possessions. Visual and performing art served two purposes: it was the most effective form of written communication and functioned as a memory aid to recall stories of tribal history and traditions.

In today’s contemporary society our art is a way of keep our culture alive – to make our elders proud and give our youth a sense of purpose and belonging to this important, ancient culture. Just because we now share this land with others, it does not mean our culture and values need to be lost.

And while we use modern technology and all the colours of the spectrum that it brings, our paintings are an integral part of the relationship we have with our ancestors’ land.

We hope through this art you can appreciate our culture’s beauty and understand our relationship with the amazing country we share. Keep the lines of communication alive.

- Heather and Ray Blacklock

Six years ago Heather Blacklock arrived in Brisbane with nothing more than a suitcase. Her story personifies the beauty and inspiration that can be found amidst Australia’s indigenous people.

Towards the end of 1999, the mother of three made the heartbreaking decision to leave her family and homeland in Western Australia. In search of a positive future for her children, she decided to make a new life in Queensland.

Heather and two of her children lived in a hostel and eventually settled into a home in Goodna. In 2001, Heather married renowned former Koori NRL league player Ray Blacklock and together they quietly pursued their dream of making distinctive, signature Australian art.

In 2001, Heather married renowned former Koori rugby league great Ray Blacklock and together they quietly pursued their dream of making distinctive, signature Australian art.

Heather Blacklock at the 'Landscapes Of The Dreaming' exhibition, Sydney 2007

Using her trademark porcupine imagery, Heather began experimenting with colour and texture. During 2005, her art was shown in several local exhibitions and enjoyed enthusiastic sales.

Under the title of ‘Yorga’ Art (meaning ‘Noongar woman art’), Heather and Ray joined forces to take indigenous art to another level, with sophisticated pieces that merge Heather’s porcupine fascination with refined modern art techniques.

Yorga Art sold quickly during the Fine Design (FDC) 2006 exhibition and subsequent Fox Studios exhibition, where the Blacklocks’ stand-out professionalism commanded the attention of Department of State and Regional Development’s Tony Williams.

Liaising with high-profile Sydney businesswoman and indigenous mentor Colleen Godsell, Williams chose Heather and Ray to exhibit in The National Trust’s Landscapes Of The Dreaming exhibition, opened by New South Wales Governor, Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir.

Ray Blacklock at the 'Landscapes Of The Dreaming' exhibition, Sydney 2007

“Heather was already recognised as a gifted artist, but success is as much about opportunity as it is about talent,” Godsell says.

“I knew if she wanted to break away from the mainstream and actually make an impact, we needed to get the attention of influential people in a prominent place.”

On the night of the exhibition, the Yorga Art work began selling before the event officially commenced - and Heather continues to receive commission requests from those who attended.

“This isn’t something indigenous women do often; a group of 80 people all in one place, talking about my work – it felt like a dream,” Heather says.

It is certainly a long way from the tiny Western Australia town of Beverley, where Heather was born into a family of 10 children in the Noongar and Balladong tribes.

“My grandparents and father shared their life experiences of living off the land, so art was a part of life, especially once I went to Kalgoorlie to live with the Wongi people – it was there that my uncles’ passion for painting really had an affect on me,” Heather says.
“Now, I realise that we’re spiritually tied to our art – when someone hangs my paintings in their room, a part of me is always there.”

Back in her Riverview studio, the massive canvass of swirling porcupine quills is being prepared for freight to Sydney.

Heather comments that for her, art is about growth – as a person, as a community and as a country.

“It forced me to tread outside my comfort zone,” she says.

“That’s what I want my work to do – make indigenous people and non-indigenous people step out of these comfort zones and experience the joy of working together.

“Both in life and art, I avoid dwelling on the past; I think it’s important to help our children grow in a positive environment and to focus on being skilful in life itself – my focus is on a good future.”

The porcupine is unfurling.

Ray Blacklock, Marie Bashir and Heather Blacklock at the 'Landscapes Of The Dreaming' exhibition, Sydney 2007