A dusty palette and radiant rainbows whisk us to a Dreamtime land where happy kookaburras chuckle as they soar above our great and beautiful earth. Introducing… Yarrawala.
After months of joyful collaboration, we are excited to announce that the Yarrawala range is finally here!
This is Spencil’s first ever artist collaboration and after searching far and wide, we are so thrilled to have collaborated with artist Brooke Sutton. This will be the first of many annual collabs with Australian creatives and we can’t wait to see what the future holds!
This week, we caught up with the equally excited Brooke to discuss her inspiration behind her design, her story and what is was like to work on this very special partnership!
You can find the gorgeous range up on our website now, just in time for school next year! In our chat, we loved hearing from Brooke about how fun it will be to see her little sister rocking Yarrawala. “I’m so excited for the launch and I absolutely can’t wait to see my little sister walk into school with my design on her school gear!”
About Brooke:
Brooke is an emerging contemporary Aboriginal artist, and at just 16 years of age, collaborated with us to have her original artwork “Yarrawala” printed on a range of Spencil products. When asked about her decision to work with Spencil, Brooke told us “This is an amazing opportunity for me to have my artwork on school supplies… I just had to go for it!” And we are so thrilled she did!
Now 17, Brooke is a proud Kalkadoon woman, whose paintings share the stories of her people and provide a glorious opportunity to engage with and celebrate Indigenous culture. When asked how Brooke celebrates her culture though her art, she shared how important it is to share the stories and culture of her people.
Here at Spencil, it’s important to us to support local artists and showcasing Indigenous art through this partnership has made it all the more special. In discussing her art, Brooke shared how important it is to support Indigenous artists to help preserve Aboriginal culture. “By supporting indigenous artists you are helping to revitalise an ancient culture… [you’re effectively] bringing the past to life”. Brooke also suggested that “supporting an indigenous artist can be as easy as buying a magnet, a candle or painting… just make sure it is authentic aboriginal art.”
Brooke is obviously incredibly talented and has turned her childhood passion into a fulfilling career, achieving recognition in art competitions and for a range of publicly and privately commissioned pieces. Pretty impressive if you ask us! When asked her advice to other youngsters with a passion for art, Brooke thinks self-confidence and persistence are the keys to success. “Art is a reflection of who you are, be proud of who you are and if you do get knocked down, get back up and shine even brighter than before!.” We know this will be a huge inspiration for many of the kids in our Spencil community to channel their own artistic creativity (and the Spencil Art Prize is just around the corner!)
In all her success, Brooke has been really generous in donating her works to charitable causes and her time to projects which have inspired young artists and her local community and she told us she is really grateful for the opportunity her work provides her to give back to the community: “It’s a privilege to know something I do could make someone’s life that bit easier, I really like to help people and this is just one way that I can”. Now you’re as inspired by Brooke as we are, let’s talk all things Yarrawala!
About Yarrawala:
Meaning ‘rainbow’ in the Kalkadoon language, Brooke shared that Yarrawala was inspired by her observations of the rich biodiversity and colour in the natural environments of the emu foot province (around the Mount Isa area). “I gained my inspiration from the plants, the wildlife and the things I saw around me every day”.
Brooke used warm earthy tones to represent the dusty landscape. Described by Brooke as the “the centre of all life”, the beautiful golden sun served as a focal point in her creative process. When asked about her incorporation of birds into the design, Brooke shared she had tried her hardest to make sure “they were as beautiful as they are in real life” (we sure think they are!). The happy Yarrawala scattered throughout are a celebration of all the beauty and diversity that harmoniously exists in the landscape.
Brooke explained that Yarrawala provides the opportunity to view the world “through the lens of an Indigenous Australian” who feels a deep connection and appreciation of the natural world. By sharing her perspective, Brooke shares the beauty of Aboriginal culture, for which we are so grateful.
What’s next?
Now Brooke has finished school, she’s putting her energy into all things art! With some exciting projects coming up next year, she is definitely one to watch and we can’t wait to see more of her journey!
Brooke is a truly admirable and we have adored collaborating with her in the early stages of her career. We know she will have a very bright future!
You can find out more about Brooke and her work here.
Check out the full Yarrawala range here.
Love your art don’t give up stay proud 🖤💛❤🪃