QUEENSLAND indigenous artist Chern’ee Sutton has the world at her tip of her paintbrush.
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At only 18 years of age, the Mount Isa-born artist has exhibited in Hong Kong, Tokyo and Singapore and her work has found an international market.
“She can’t keep up with demand,” her father Craig Sutton said.
Sutton’s recent big buzz was seeing her work featured on the 2015 Indigenous All Stars rugby league jersey.
She designed the artwork for the jersey titled ‘Thapu Wani Watina’, which means ‘‘Brothers Playing Side by Side’’ in the Kalkadoon language.
She attended the unveiling of the jumper on the Gold Coast early this month and was predictably rapt.
“I was extremely proud and honoured to have my artwork used by the NRL and can’t wait to see the players running on to the field in my design,” she said.
The artwork has already been featured in the NRL’s Reconciliation Action Plan for the next three years and will also be used on the Indigenous All Stars training gear as well as supporter memorabilia such as snapback caps, flags and footballs.
Chern’ee Sutton explains what her work Thapu Wani Watina represents:
‘IN my painting the rainbow serpent represents the Dreamtime and indigenous history, culture and
connection to the land.
The 13 handprints represent the
Indigenous All Stars players that will take to
the field. Being brothers, they are all connected to each other, playing as one, and are filled with pride and passion.
The two bronze stars represent Rugby League Bronzed Immortals Arthur Beetson and Mal Meninga with both brothers forever leaving their mark on the game of rugby league with Arthur Beetson’s bronze star (on the left) encircled by another star which represents the All Stars Arthur Beetson Memorial Trophy.
The 20 red stars represent the whole Indigenous All Stars squad and they are all proud to be members of this team representing all indigenous Australians.
The red in the stars represents the motto ‘‘One brother bleeds, all brothers bleed’’.
The football with the gaps represents both the All Stars teams and the NRL that are both closing the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians and the sun represents the brighter future that our country has working towards reconciliation thanks to the All Stars game.
The three flags represent all of Australia – the Aboriginals, the Torres Strait Islanders and the rest of the nation. The flags are surrounded by a community symbol which represents all communities coming together for the game.
The footprints represent the different communities and people who travel to the game to give their support and the kangaroo and emu footprints shows the All Stars game and the NRL’s persistence for equality and unity which is always moving forwards and never backwards, just like the kangaroo and emu.
The three boomerangs represent the indigenous warriors who have come to do battle on the football field and the rest of the circles and dots represent the rest of Australia that watch the game and show their support to this proud unified game.’