Name: Bronwyn Bancroft
Born: 1958, Tenterfield
Occupation: Artist, Illustrator, Fashion designer and Arts administrator
What kind of artist is she?: Bronwyn Bancroft's works with a variety of mediums such as jewellery design, painting, collage, illustration, sculpture an interior design. She has made many art works and illustrated many books all using her own unique style of contemporary artwork, displaying it around the world.
Description of her artworks: Many of Bronwyn Bancroft’s artworks look like stained glass windows, with bright, eye-catching colours. Even though her artworks are in more of a modern style, Bronwyn Bancroft still incorporates traditional themes and styles that relate back to her culture of the Djanbun clan where she is from.
The story her artworks tell: In most of Bronwyn Bancroft's artworks she using a variety of topics, such as family, country, memory community solidarity and heritage, to tell stories of her life and Indigenous Australian creation stories. Her children books tell stories of the glorious land and home we share. They are accompanied by Bronwyn Bancroft’s bold and mysterious illustrations, that show the culture and traditions of Aboriginal Australians.
An example of a story that her artworks tell is the story of 'Meet me at the Mountain' (see below). Bronwyn Bancroft created this artwork to celebrate her family and her pride in her country and clan. Her dearest uncle died recently so she created this artwork as a tribute to his life and to represent that she will Meet him at the Mountain she she dies. This is just one example of the stories that Bronwyn Bancroft's artworks tell, there are many more.
What do her artworks tell us about her identity and how she sees the world?: Bronwyn Bancroft’s artworks show her identity as being a Bundjalung woman though the traditional styles she uses in many of her artworks. She sees her art as a way to make a difference to issues that confront her in todays society. These issues include resale royalty rights for artists and need for increased school participation rates for Indigenous Australian students. It shows here identity by bringing her country to outsiders and her love and respect for nature and the environment.
"I love being an Artist and making new images."
One of her works “You don’t even look Aboriginal” is a reflection on the reality that a number of people had said to her that she did not look Aboriginal, so how could she be. She was confronted and disappointed by this ignorance and racism. It challenged her identity and she started to question who she really was. After much research, she created the work, which is an artistic representation of her family tree.
What views, experiences and opinions are included in her artworks?: Bronwyn Bancroft’s artworks show that she views her art as a way to tell stories and promote issues that confront her. Her experience and passion for art started as a child and has stayed with her, inspiring her to create many of her artworks. Her opinions on what issues are troubling our society have been shown through her art showing that she believes that her works can make a change to these issues. In all of her art works there is a great sense of ‘story’. Some are children’s stories (“Just a Little Brown Dog”, “Big Rain Coming”), others express her personal journeys (“You don’t even look Aboriginal”, “Rhythm of love”) and others tell stories of country (“Washpool Creek”, “Tree of Life”). All of these are drawn from experiences as being an Aboriginal woman helping her to create works that may help open the yes of Australians.
"My life's experiences and learnings provide the never ending inspiration to continue to lay down images that might reach other people. Might illuminate an idea or an understanding for them. Might decrease ignorance and increase enthusiasm for learning about the First people of this country."
How does her work connect her to her culture and tradition?: On Bronwyn Bancroft’s fathers side she is an Aboriginal Australian from the Djanbun clan and on her mother’s side she has Scottish and Polish ancestry. She incorporates these cultures in all of her artworks by making bright and contemporary yet still traditional art works with elements of her culture.
The creation of Bronwyn Bancroft’s artworks often come to her naturally. She is like a medium of communication, which means that culture and Aboriginality is automatically expressed through her works. By nature, her culture and tradition flows through her and onto her works.
Bronwyn Bancroft's Country is situated at the base of the Bundjalung state Forrest and an hour from Grafton (NSW), she tries to base many of her paintings of this place to connect to her culture and tradition of her country. They have a smoking/ gathering every year to connect as family and cleanse each other which helps to reconnect her with her her culture.
"I am continually attempting to capture the essence and beauty of this great land. I love being at home where my family have lived for thousands of years. I feel safe and content."
Born: 1958, Tenterfield
Occupation: Artist, Illustrator, Fashion designer and Arts administrator
What kind of artist is she?: Bronwyn Bancroft's works with a variety of mediums such as jewellery design, painting, collage, illustration, sculpture an interior design. She has made many art works and illustrated many books all using her own unique style of contemporary artwork, displaying it around the world.
Description of her artworks: Many of Bronwyn Bancroft’s artworks look like stained glass windows, with bright, eye-catching colours. Even though her artworks are in more of a modern style, Bronwyn Bancroft still incorporates traditional themes and styles that relate back to her culture of the Djanbun clan where she is from.
The story her artworks tell: In most of Bronwyn Bancroft's artworks she using a variety of topics, such as family, country, memory community solidarity and heritage, to tell stories of her life and Indigenous Australian creation stories. Her children books tell stories of the glorious land and home we share. They are accompanied by Bronwyn Bancroft’s bold and mysterious illustrations, that show the culture and traditions of Aboriginal Australians.
An example of a story that her artworks tell is the story of 'Meet me at the Mountain' (see below). Bronwyn Bancroft created this artwork to celebrate her family and her pride in her country and clan. Her dearest uncle died recently so she created this artwork as a tribute to his life and to represent that she will Meet him at the Mountain she she dies. This is just one example of the stories that Bronwyn Bancroft's artworks tell, there are many more.
What do her artworks tell us about her identity and how she sees the world?: Bronwyn Bancroft’s artworks show her identity as being a Bundjalung woman though the traditional styles she uses in many of her artworks. She sees her art as a way to make a difference to issues that confront her in todays society. These issues include resale royalty rights for artists and need for increased school participation rates for Indigenous Australian students. It shows here identity by bringing her country to outsiders and her love and respect for nature and the environment.
"I love being an Artist and making new images."
One of her works “You don’t even look Aboriginal” is a reflection on the reality that a number of people had said to her that she did not look Aboriginal, so how could she be. She was confronted and disappointed by this ignorance and racism. It challenged her identity and she started to question who she really was. After much research, she created the work, which is an artistic representation of her family tree.
What views, experiences and opinions are included in her artworks?: Bronwyn Bancroft’s artworks show that she views her art as a way to tell stories and promote issues that confront her. Her experience and passion for art started as a child and has stayed with her, inspiring her to create many of her artworks. Her opinions on what issues are troubling our society have been shown through her art showing that she believes that her works can make a change to these issues. In all of her art works there is a great sense of ‘story’. Some are children’s stories (“Just a Little Brown Dog”, “Big Rain Coming”), others express her personal journeys (“You don’t even look Aboriginal”, “Rhythm of love”) and others tell stories of country (“Washpool Creek”, “Tree of Life”). All of these are drawn from experiences as being an Aboriginal woman helping her to create works that may help open the yes of Australians.
"My life's experiences and learnings provide the never ending inspiration to continue to lay down images that might reach other people. Might illuminate an idea or an understanding for them. Might decrease ignorance and increase enthusiasm for learning about the First people of this country."
How does her work connect her to her culture and tradition?: On Bronwyn Bancroft’s fathers side she is an Aboriginal Australian from the Djanbun clan and on her mother’s side she has Scottish and Polish ancestry. She incorporates these cultures in all of her artworks by making bright and contemporary yet still traditional art works with elements of her culture.
The creation of Bronwyn Bancroft’s artworks often come to her naturally. She is like a medium of communication, which means that culture and Aboriginality is automatically expressed through her works. By nature, her culture and tradition flows through her and onto her works.
Bronwyn Bancroft's Country is situated at the base of the Bundjalung state Forrest and an hour from Grafton (NSW), she tries to base many of her paintings of this place to connect to her culture and tradition of her country. They have a smoking/ gathering every year to connect as family and cleanse each other which helps to reconnect her with her her culture.
"I am continually attempting to capture the essence and beauty of this great land. I love being at home where my family have lived for thousands of years. I feel safe and content."
ARTWORKS:
Tree of Life. 2010