Name: Joan Lever
Biography:
"Mum was in Moore River Settlement from when she was a young girl, but not for terribly long because she went to New Norcia. Then she left, that’s when she went to Moora, and that’s where she had me and the other kids. Two sisters and three brothers. I’m the oldest girl.
We lived around Moore River Settlement for a long time. Then me and my brothers and sisters were placed in the mission at New Norcia. The Native Welfare checked on all the families to place the children in St. Joseph’s orphanage at New Norcia. I would see my mother about three times a year. She’d take us out to the shop then have to take us back. I think the institution didn’t want to lose you. Everything was tough.
I got educated at the orphanage. At school my favourite subject was art. We used to draw and paint landscapes. Mainly painting. In the last few years, when I finished grade 7, that’s when you were put to work. We all worked in the laundry, all the big girls. I worked there at the laundry about three years, then left when I was fifteen.
Then I lived in Dongara for a couple of years, where I met my husband. We moved to Marble Bar. My daughter and my son were born in Marble Bar. I kept painting when I went to Marble Bar. I would paint what I saw there, mostly the scenery. I painted with another lady there, she taught me some things. One man asked me to do an Aboriginal painting for a friend that was getting married in Canada. That’s when I started what I call my ‘Dhott works’ (chuckles). I just wanted to give it a bit of an air.
It's nice therapy painting, everything sort of goes on with the canvas."
- Joan Lever
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