Charmaine Davis

Charmaine Davis is a proud Gumbaynggir and Bundjalung artist based in Ipswich, Queensland. In her practice she uses netted curtains and produce bags as mark-making tools. These layered stencilled patterns create macro and micro perspectives of the landscape, recalling DNA and the interconnected systems that sustain Country.

Says Davis of this work, "As a proud Aboriginal woman, my relationship with Country is at the heart of my practice. Country is far more than a landscape. It is a living presence that holds the stories, memories, and spirit of my ancestors, my family, and the generations still to come. It is where I find connection, belonging, and identity. When I look across the land, I see these stories woven through it like threads in a tapestry, connecting past, present, and future.

"Our family's annual gathering by the Washpool Creek is a special occasion. We have a smoking ceremony which connects us to Country, ancestors, family and rejuvenates our mind, body and spirit."