About the artist

The artwork and information that appears here and on other pages was provided by the artist.

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Roderick Collard

Roderick CollardRoderick Collard (a Nyungar man, the original peoples of the southwest of Western Australia). Born in 1951, Pingelly, Western Australia.

Rod was raised around the south-west country towns of Bannister, Boddington and Pinjarra. He went to primary school in Boddington and Pinjarra and then attended Armadale High School. 'I decided to go back to TAFE in 1998 to do a computer course, but then became interested in Aboriginal art and started to develop and learn my own style or technique. Once you develop your own style you then keep improving on your own technique, particularly in design and colours'.

Rod says his artwork reflects his ancestry and Dreamtime spirit of which he has a strong spiritual passion. This helps him to create his designs and colour which come from within. 'This really inspires me which enables me to become more creative, this also gives me a real purpose in life'.

Aboriginal art opens the door for communicating between his people and the non-Aboriginal sector. 'They become curious, very curious about our art stories and designs'.

Rod hopes to reproduce his art in designs, postcards, greeting cards, calendars and posters.

'Art is a big part of my life now and I hope to continue for as long as I can'.

Rod Collard


The artwork

artwork
Click the image to enlarge

This painting is a story about our Nyungar culture and about our bush tucker.
It shows the Yonga or Kangaroo, Weitj or Emu with their noorooks or eggs, Honey ants, Wargle or Snake

The yonga meat is a staple food source for Aboriginal people throughout Australia. 'It is very good for our diet, health and wellbeing, simply because of the low fat content in the meat'.

'Our Emu meat is very rich and the fat it contains can be melted and used for medicinal purposes and this product is also world wide. Their eggs are good eating and Aboriginal people do beautiful carvings on the outside'.

The honey ants are found around the Goldfields area in Western Australia and are dug out of the ground because you can eat its very tasty honey.

The Snake or Wargle is part of our Nyungar culture and are central to our stories about the water holes and rivers in Nyungar country. The circles represent our camping areas and water holes, the tracks show the journeys they travel from one area to another.

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Last updated: 16 July 2007