WHETHER it is making designs for football allstar jerseys or boutique chocolate, nothing is too difficult for talented former Mount Isan Chern’ee Sutton.
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The 19-year-old is a contemporary Indigenous artist now based in Bundaberg but whose heritage lies with the Kalkadoon people from the north west and she did her early schooling in Mount Isa.
“When mum and dad moved to Bundaberg, I didn’t want to go,” Chern’ee said.
Chern’ee said she started painting when she was 13 years old.
“Ever since I was a little kid, I used to create drawings. Now I paint mostly on canvas using acrylic and raised acrylic paints,” she said.
“I am very passionate about my family's culture and history and wish to share this with the rest of the world”
Chern’ee has had her contemporary Indigenous artwork exhibited in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore.
And her works have found important homes.
She has two paintings hanging in Queensland’s Parliament House, one hanging in Queensland’s State Library, a painting hanging in the Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Multicultural Affairs office and a painting hanging in the former Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurers office and four with Tennis Australia where her work was exhibited at the 2014 Australian Open.
Her work is even known to British royalty with William and Kate having one of her paintings.
“I have met with The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during their Royal visit to Australia in 2014 and given them one of my reconciliation paintings,” she said.
“Another of my paintings Thapu Wani Watina has also been used for the official licensed men’s and women’s Indigenous All Stars jerseys and merchandise for 2015 and 2016 by the NRL.
“I have also designed the new 2016 Indigenous All Stars Logo as well as the Indigenous component of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup Logo.”
Thapi Wani Watina means “Brothers playing side by side” and it was emblazoned on the jerseys of the NRL's Indigenous All Stars.
For her work Chern’ee was chosen as an Australia Day ambassador in 2016.
If that wasn’t enough Chern’ee is now adding a sweet new string to her bow.
A new Chern’ee Sutton Originals chocolate range will be launched soon.
Chern’ee said patent technology would be used to emboss her indigenous artwork on the dark chocolate bars.
“A Gold Coast company rang me up and asked me did I want to get involved,” she said. “I loved the idea. Now I’m putting dark coloured designs on white chocolate, and white designs on dark chocolate.”