Opening night: The NAIDOC Exhibition

The opening night of the NAIDOC Exhibition will feature a selection of artworks, sculptures, homewares and more by our indigenous artists from the collective! Meet the artists and hear their stories behind their work.

The opening event will be held on Thursday 10 July from 6.30-8.30pm.

Come celebrate and appreciate all this beautiful art with the CEAC team and the artists in the gallery with your friends and family.This event promises to be an unforgettable experience with refreshments available and nibbles served throughout the night.

About the artists:

Christine Bonney Websdale
Christine is an Aboriginal artist from Western Australia with a rich cultural heritage rooted in the Wongatha-Mirring tribes. Growing up in a family of 13 siblings and artist parents, she developed a deep passion for art from a young age. As a child, Christine often watched her mother paint landscapes, inspiring her to create her own drawings and paintings.

Joanne Nangala
Joanne is an Aboriginal artist currently practicing in Paraburdoo. She learned to paint from her mother, renowned Aboriginal artist Pansy Napangardi. From an early age Joanne would sit by her mother's canvas, helping her with her paintings and learning her dreamings. Joanne spent much of her early life travelling around the Northern Territory and Northern WA. She won the "Australia's Indigenous Creations Gallery Best Female Artist" award in 1996.

Pilaru (Ree Couzens)
Ree Couzens is a Nhanda-Wajarri woman born and raised in Carnarvon on Yinggarda country. Her ancestral land is located throughout the midwest of Western Australia, specifically Kalbarri and the Murchison River areas. She is a direct descendant from Granny Jilba's lineage, who is one of the six apical ancestors from the Nhanda region. From a young age Ree had the privilege of learning to paint from her Uncle Dougie Ryder. His teachings had a profound impact on her, and she is proud to continue his legacy through her artwork. Ree's paintings reflect country as seen through her lens and connection to it, shared stories of their Nhanda Dreaming and capturing individual journeys.

Possum (Renee) Rose
As an artist, Renee finds solace and inspiration in the majesty of nature. Her artistic journey is deeply rooted in the land of her ancestors, the central coast of Western Australia, where the Nanda tribe once thrived. This sacred land, nestled near the mouth of the Murchison River, holds a special significance for Renee, as it was the home of her great-grandmother, a proud Nanda woman who suffered the injustices of the Stolen Generation.

Rebecca Reid
Rebecca is a proud Wiradjuri woman and sharing her Aboriginal heritage through her art is important to her. Her hope is to share how beautiful her culture is with the world through a paint brush and canvas.

Richard Websdale
Richard is an Indigenous Wongi male who was born in Kalgoorlie. He grew up in the Goldfields watching, admiring and learning from his mother Christine Bonney-Websdale's artistic processes.

Rickesha Burdett
Born and raised in Albany, Western Australia, Rickesha is a Noongar woman who loves connecting to her culture through Aboriginal art. Rickesha is an emerging artist and graphic designer with over 7 years experience in contemporary Aboriginal artwork. She uses acrylic paint for her canvas works and recently started comissioning digital artwork, she also has her designs on clothing and other apparel.

Warda Art (Amy Freestone)
Amy is a talented young Malgana/Ngadju women from WA. She has recently discovered her love for aboriginal art and realised how much it makes her feel connected to her aboriginal history.

The NAIDOC Exhibition:

The exhibition will be running from the 10-31 July 2025 with a variety of events;

• Thursday 10 July: Artist in Residency w/ Richard Websdale
• Monday 14 July: Artist in Residency w/ Possum Rose
• Tuesday 15 July: Little Possum's Create – Indigenous Artwork with Possum Rose (Art workshop for ages 5-8)
• Tuesday 15 July: Possum's Create – Indigenus Artwork with Possum Rose (Art workshop for ages 9-15)
• Wednesday 16 July: Artist in Residency w/ Possum Rose
• Friday 18 July: Artist in Residency w/ Possum Rose

This event is by Creative Edge Art Collective, a not-for-profit art’s hub in Perth’s northern suburb of Joondalup.