Ethel Thomas - My Mother's Country (617-19)

Artist: Ethel Thomas

Title:  My Country Rukuthi

Cat No: 617-19

Size: 40.5 x 50.5 cm 

Acrylic on Canvas

Story:

This painting is about my Country at Bentinck Island. It's north of Bentinck  and it's called Oak Tree Point. There is a river that runs through it.

About:

Aunty Sally Gabori showed me her paintings when she first visited Bentinck again after being away for such a long time. She gave me one because I am her favourite. Now I am doing the same paintings with my sisters and aunties. It’s good painting all day to get away from the house and have a break. I was born at Oak Tree Point on Bentinck Island or as we call it 'lookati'. This is on the North side of the island. I was only very small when the missionaries came and took us to Mornington Island. I was asleep when it happened and when I woke up we were on Mornington Island. I missed my parents when we were in the dormitory and we would often run away to be with them. When I was older I worked in the hospital and the mission house. Not long after that I went to Karumba on the mainland and worked on a cattle station. I moved around a few stations and on one, Esmerelda, I met my husband, George Thomas. He came back to Mornington with me and we got married there and had my eldest son there as well. We went back to Croydon on the mainland and was gone a long time. When my husband got sick and passed away I returned to Mornington in time for our people starting an outstation on Bentinck Island at Main Base or Ninjilki.

Exhibitions:

2017 CIAF 2017 CIAF Indigenous Fashion Performance

2016 Land of All - Dulka Wangiid

2016 18th General Assembly of World Crafts Council

2016 CIAF 2015 My Island Home

2015 CIAF Indigenous Fashion Performance

2015 Currents: Trends & Movements in Queensland Indigenous ArtCentres Exhibition

2015 International Women's Day Exhibition

2012 Artists from Bentinck Island & Mornington Island, Queensland

2012 Cairns Indigenous Art Fair

2011 Korea International Art Fair

2011 Artists From Mornington Island Art

2011 Cairns Indigenous Art Fair

2010 Bentinck Island Artworks

2009 Cairns Indigenous Art Fair

2008 Painters of Bentinck Island

2008 Bandikawaanda Makuwalada Rarunginja Thaand - Return of Kaiadilt Women

2007 Bentinck Island Artists featuring Netta Loogatha

2007 Painters of Bentinck Island

2007 Painting Up Country: New Art Form The Mornington and Bentinck Islands

2006 Big Ones Little Ones

2006 Sally Gabori & Introducing the Bentinck Island Art Gang

2006 Bentinck Island Project Mediums Wool Synthetic Polymer on Canvas Synthetic Polymer on Linen Pencil and Ink on Paper

Collections:

The National Gallery of Victoria, Victoria

The Merenda Collection

Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane

Bibliography:

2008 The Heart of Everything: The Art and Artists of Mornington & Bentinck Islands, Mornington Island Arts and Crafts, McCulloch & McCulloch Australian Art Books Pty Ltd.