about Amanda Westley
My name is Amanda Westley and I am a Ngarrindjeri woman and artist, born in Victor Harbor, South Australia in 1985. Growing up I experienced the best of both worlds living the farm life 12kms out of coastal country town of Victor Harbor.
My father was a boat builder so the water and the ocean have always been a big part of my life. My painting style is dot work and the bright colours from my coastal country hometown and the ocean are represented through my paintings.
I have been painting from a very young age and my style is contemporary Aboriginal dot art, I have always enjoyed painting and the calm that it brought.
My paintings represent country from an aerial view, for Aboriginal people land has a spiritual and cultural connection and is so important to our identity and way of life. With these paintings I have used a combination of ocean colours and earth colours to represent my country, the small country town near the ocean. I have also introduced brighter colours such as pink and orange to represent how country looks during different seasons as well as different times of the day.
My family (the McHughes) is one of the oldest Aboriginal families here on the south coast so this land I call home has been apart of my family for a very long time, and by creating these paintings I am acknowledging the important connection my family have with this land.
Past Exhibitions include:
- RAW Splendour Exhibition June 4th 2015 at The Currumbin RSL, QLD
- RAW Signature Exhibition April 1st 2016 at The Producers, SA
- Malpa Wiru Good Friends From June 2016 to July 2016 at Signal Point Gallery, Goolwa, SA
- Lets Take The Next Steps Exhibition May 29th 2017 at the Living Kaurna Cultural Centre, SA
- Uwankara Together Exhibition From June 2017 to July 2017 at Signal Point Gallery, Goolwa, SA
- Tarnanthi Exhibition October 11th 2017 at The Hahndorf Academy, SA
- Japingka Aboriginal Art Gallery, February 2018 WA -SOLO EXHIBITION
- Stump Hill, Mclaren Vale South Australia March 2018
- June 1st 2018 Ngayuku Ngura at Hahndorf Academy
- August 2018 SALA at KiriKiri Art Gallery Victor Harbor
- September 2018 Loretto College Spring Art Show
- January 2019 Japingka Aboriginal Art Gallery, WA
Other accomplishments:
- October 2018 Finalist I’m the Heysen Art Prize
- Collaboration with Lifewearau to make official NAIDOC clothing
- Collaboration with Designer Bums 2018 & 2019
- Commissioned by local medical centre for 3 pieces
- Have just released 2 eye wear designs with ayaeyewear in Vancouver
- Currently studying certificate 3 in Endangered Aboriginal Language