My name is Tarni Jane, I am a proud Wiradjuri and Mununjali woman.
I am lucky enough to have been immersed with my culture from a very young age helping to shape my identity. My mums mob is from Wiradjuri country with my nan growing up on Wellington mission and my pop growing up on the Burabedee mission in Western New South Wales. My nan and pop moved to Sydney to begin a life together raising their 4 children and eventually grandchildren here.
My dads mob is from Bundjalung country more specifically Mununjali territory. Mununjali land is located in Beaudesert, Queensland. My dads, dad, my poppa is Hungarian and came to Australia during the civil war in Hungary. My Nanna grew up in Beaudesert but then moved to Sydney after experiencing great trauma as a child. My Nanna and Poppa had 2 children together, with my Nanna also having an additional 4 girls before that. My Nanna always reminded me from a young age that no matter where I am in this world that home is always the fresh water, mountain country.
My art journey began about 3 years ago when my dad was first diagnosed with cancer. My whole world began to shatter around me, at a time when I was surrounded by chaos, uncertainty and absolute heartbreak I found comfort and safety within my art.
My first ever painting was dedicated to dad. The painting was to honour my dads strength, healing and our love for him during his cancer journey. My dad unfortunately passed away a year later in August 2020, to say my heart had shattered into a million pieces is a massive understatement.
My mum and dad had always told me from a young age to always follow my heart and happiness will follow. My heart has always been working with children, my culture and anything creative. So I became a primary school teacher and after the death of my dad I began to use my art as apart of my healing journey. I found that my art really grounded me, in a time of pure carnage, I felt safe, I felt closer to my ancestors and I found solace within my art. All my art represents a specific story, some which are very much apart of my own journey.
Just like my dad, I want to leave a mark on this earth long after I’m gone. My main goal in this life is to inspire, love and connect. To inspire, especially the young Indigenous kids coming through that absolutely anything is possible. To love, with all of my heart and make sure that, that is expressed in all of my artworks. To connect, I hope that through my artworks I make positive connections with people that last a lifetime. I feel as though I am able to do exactly that through both of my professions. My stories of hope are a way for me to pass vital knowledge down through generations for all to connect, heal and learn from.
Overtime my artworks have evolved, each artwork teaching me something new. But as my artworks evolve and my style begins to change one thing will always remain the same. That is the message of hope. Hope is the one thing that can get us through the darkest of times, throughout all my artworks I have expressed exactly that.
I invite you all along this journey with me.
Mandaang guwu (thank you)
- T