Artist statement

'This represents the sacred waterways of the Birrarung, the river of mist and shadows and significant meeting place that is Naarm, Melbourne. It represents the mountains that hug the surrounding landscape and the diverse communities and wildlife that call it home like bundabun, the long-neck turtle; toorrop, the lizard; marrum, the kangaroo; tadjerri, the possum (ie sugar-glider possum); boroin, the superb fairy wren; and bullum-bullum, the butterfly.'

About the artist

Simone Thomson is a Naarm-based artist, muralist and creative, and a Woi-Wurrung Wurundjeri and Yorta-Yorta Traditional Owner through her mother. She draws inspiration for her art through her spiritual connection to Country and the rich colours and textures of the earth and sky. She continues the sacred art of storytelling, remaining strongly connected to her culture through the ancestral knowledge and oral history as passed down through her mother and grandmother.

Instagram: @simonethomsonart