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Published by CompNet Systems on

Skinnyfish

This sculpture represents a skinnyfish or Longtom, found in billabongs and waterways throughout Arnhem Land. Featuring a long nose they are very visually distinctive. Useful as live bait, or for tukka should you be willing to work your way through the many fine bones.

Sculpture has been completed using kurrajong wood, beach hibiscus, and then is wrapped in handmade anbutbut string (kurrajong string). This hand made string is a very labour intensive process. Finally the piece has been painted using modern acrylic paints. 

Categories: Djilpin Arts Aboriginal Corporation

Name: Sylvia Campion

Language: Kriol, Kune, Rembarrnga

Community: Maningrida

Biography:

Sylvia is a talented artist who paints, carves and weaves using a mix of traditional techniques, materials and tools, along with their modern counterparts. Sylvia grew up surrounded by talented artefact makers and absorbed knowledge through a traditional style of apprenticeship. 

Helping her father she learned how to harvest and make a traditional grass reed brush called "munjyelk" or jarlk, and then mastered its use painting ochres and modern acrylics. Her father also taught her the art of wood carving.

Her mother and grandmother taught her the art of weaving and hand making bush string. This was also learned by helping and absorbing bush knowledge such as harvesting, stripping, dying, weaving and rolling. 

"At 20yrs old I started to paint, carve and weave on my own." Now, Sylvia combines all these techniques creating intricate woven sculptures with carved details finely finished using traditional painting techniques.

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© the artist / art centre