Art in Community

In 2018, Janie  visited Maningrida School over several weeks, to develop artworks withstudents from Year 10-12 . Located in Northern Territory’s large remote community in north west Arnhem Land, Janie was part of a team of local artists brought together to coordinate several beautification projects at the school. Janie taught clay tile techniques and mural painting, whilst local artists worked with students at the school to apply traditional paint techniques to the clay tiles. These tiles formed details within large mosaic murals located around the school.

Janie installing entrance mosaic with Kevin Gameraidj

As part of an Artist in Residency in Gunbalanya in 2013, Janie liased with the communtiy at Gunbalanya; Corrugated Iron Youth Arts (commissioners) and architects Gabbert Bell, Darwin, N.T to create mosaics with three community groups for the newly built ‘Arrmunbu Child and Family Centre’ in Gunbalanya. Janie led ceramic tile and mosaic workshops with artists from Injalak Arts, community members from the Child and Family Centre and students from West Arnhem College. The three groups each produced amazing artwork that is now permanently installed at the new centre.

Commissioned by C.I.Y.A, N.T

Mosaic panel by community participant, Katherine , N.T.

This large mural is located on one of the external walls of the Catholic Care building in Katherine, N.T. Janie was invited to return to the town after a previously successful project with Katherine Regional Arts. The artwork for this mural involved mosaic details with a painted background. Stars, comets sun and moon mosaics fly above a colourful landscape that reflects the town.

Participants in this project included people from Venndale Rehabilitation Program.

Commissioned by Catholic Care NT.

Janie has spent many years working with the remote community of Kandiwal Community, Wunambal people in the Mitchell Plateau in the Kimberley, W.A. Over the years Janie has facilitated artwork with children and adults from the community. On this project, Janie worked with the community to facilitate, design and produce illustrations for one of their Dreaming stories. The community chose to learn silk painting techniques to illustrate the story.

Published by Magabala Books.

Fabrics designed and printed by Priscilla Badari, Selina and Lynne Nadjowh. from Injalak Arts.
Pictured: Priscilla Badari & Selina Nadjowh

The fabric was selected to cover a fridge and entered for the annual Darwin Fridge Festival. This subsequently became Winner of 2014 Fridge Festival, Darwin!

An Artist-in-Residence project touring 15 remote schools in the Top End of Australia. The project involved driving long distances or flying in small planes to get to each school. The students worked on the theme of drugs awareness with their teachers before Janie arrived.  Each banner was designed and painted by the children as Janie taught them silk painting techniques. The lightweight artworks became tourable so that each school could borrow the silk banners to use as teaching aids on the subject. The 15 banners were exhibited at the Human Rights Exhibition held at The Supreme Court in Darwin and were awarded First Prize .

Commissioned by Top End Group Schools, N.T.

An Artist in Schools project funded by Arts NT and the Dept of Education. The giant murals cover the whole of the entrance-way to Belyuen School. The teachers encouraged the children to make drawings on jobs they would like to do when they grew up. The children then assisted Janie with the dramatic transformation of their school entrance! The mural provides a positive reminder of their potential future each day they enter school.

Detail from ceramic frieze.
This panel made by Anne Gumurdul

In 2013 Janie worked with Corrugated Iron Youth Arts, Darwin to be Artist in Resident at the Child and Family Centre in Gunbalanya, N.T. This was a 3 way project between the Family Centre, the Art Centre and the School. This detail from the ceramic frieze was one of several panels originally designed by women at the family centre for a recently launched baby board book titled ‘Duwa and Yirridjdja , Growing Up Culture Way’. The ceramic frieze became a permanent 3D version of the book for children to interact with in crèche area.
See more of this project on Janie’s Facebook.

Detail from ceramic frieze. This panel made by Madeline Dirrdi.
Pictured: Madeline Dirrdi.

Madeline Dirrdi painting ceramic details based on her original illustrations from the recently published ‘Duwa and Yirridjdja’ baby board book. Gunbalanya, N.T. This ceramic version became one of several panels for a frieze installed in the crèche area in the newly built Arrmunbu Child and Family Centre, Gunbalanya, N.T

Part of an infrastucture makeover for the entrance way of Ludmilla Primary  School. The children made a trip to the nearby Ludmilla Creek behind the school . Janie developed their designs into clay. The children glazed their tiled pieces and were involved in the mosaic process.

Thirteen circular panels are now mounted around the Rainbow Hands mural in the transformed school entrance.

Banners created for local festival at Pudakul, a First Nations owned business that invites the public once a year to join in cross cultural festival called Daminmin Festival.  

Detail from ceramic frieze. This panel made by Madeline Dirrdi.
Pictured: Madeline Dirrdi.

Madeline Dirrdi painting ceramic details based on her original illustrations from the recently published ‘Duwa and Yirridjdja’ baby board book. Gunbalanya, N.T. This ceramic version became one of several panels for a frieze installed in the crèche area in the newly built Arrmunbu Child and Family Centre, Gunbalanya, N.T