Artist accordion

The 5 Wiradyuri Seasons - colloboration

Artist statements

Aunt Joycelan Williams – Wiradjuri Elder

The middle of Yiraybang season, Yiray sends his hot rays of heat upon Mother Earth and everyone else. Elders enjoy being alongside the flowing bila to cool and keep us refreshed.

Vanessa Schwab - Wiradyuri

My artwork represents summer on Wiradyuri Country, when people and animals move across Country and gather around water during hotter months. The tracks show journeys and connection, while the gugaa, our Wiradyuri totem, represents culture, identity and belonging to Country.

Warrior – Wiradjuri

Birak. Sunset. The ‘Season of the Young’ symbolizing heat, sun and fire. This season also highlights fiery coloured blooms like eucalyptus and kangaroo paws. I chose this season because of the many family gatherings at the river enjoying cool water while watching the sunset.

Mitch Summerfield – Wiradyuri

It’s the story of the rain moth. They awake from their holes in the ground, from their cocoons just before or after, around March, April, May. They live for years underground as grubs but once they are hatched they only live for 24 hours, so that they can mate and produce eggs.

Ngaayuga / Nioka Dupond – Wiradyuri yinaa

The bula is low, low enough to walk across. The galingabangbur play in the clay, feeding. Muscles beneath their feet. They climb over the madhan that now lay their brances in the galing that create ganya for guya. The sharuwa is now a warm cures on our skin and the dragonfly’s are beginning their journey to the dreaming. At the cooling down of the clay the flames of our wiiny start to flicker.

Ronnie Ayani Alexander – Wiradjuri

This artwork represents the Aboriginal Australian season of Bangalang, a time of renewal and quite life emerging. It captures the blooming of wattles and the movement of freshwater turtles as they lay their eggs, symbolising growth, continuity, and connection to country. The turtles are especially meaningful to me, as they remind me of the Wagga lagoon, where many live and can often be seen gliding through the water.

What makes this season most special in my artwork is its personal significance, it is the time my sister was born. By combining these natural elements with my own story, the piece reflects both the cycles of nature and the moments that shape who we are, highlighting a deep sense of connection between land, life and family.

Shelby Lyons-Kschenka – Wiradjuri

The Emu in the Sky appears as the seasons begin to change, reminding us that the colder months are arriving. Formed within the dark sky spaces of the Milky Way, the emu shares knowledge from the sky teaching us to watch, listen, and understand the rhythms of Country. This artwork relects the connection between sky, weather, and cultural knowledge, where the emu becomes a guide, letting us know the air will cool, the seasons will shift, and it is time to prepare for the change ahead.

Layne Webb – Wiradjuri

When it gets cold in the morning and at night, we wear kangaroo skin to stay warm. That’s how we know the seasons are changing. This skin tells a story about a kangaroo walking around Country. People hunt the kangaroo for food, and they use its skin to keep warm.

Maxine Honeysett – Wiradjuri and Ngiyampaa

The Ngiyampaa word for emu is Ngurruy. The Wiradjuri word is Dinauwan. Both holds significant in culture. The emu is a totem for many tribes. The emu is central to Dreaming stories narratives that explain the landscape The Emu in the Sky. Emus are strong and can run fast. They make sounds like drumming. Emu feathers are used for jewellery. I love emus.

54 – Wiradjuri / Murray

Djilba. The coldest part of the year from August to September with clear, cold nights and days or warmer, rainy and windy periods.

I chose this season as it feels like a bit of every season for me, rain one day and sunny the next.

Tate Webb – Wiradjuri

The echidna tells us that the cold weather is starting to come. Around May, they look for warm places to rest and dig around Country searching for food. This artwork shows us how animals can teach us about the seasons and help us learn what is happening on Country.

Mikia White and Kilara White - Ngario / Ngunnawal

This artwork is called ‘Gone Walkabout’ and the artwork name describes the artwork, being on country in this season.

Audrina Pinney

My painting is called Growing Up on Country. It tells the story of my journey growing up on Country and trying to find my place feeling at times like I didn’t belong, yet always knowing I’m connected and that my ancestors are with me. The pastel colours represent my favourite season, spring.

Riva Hampton

My painting represents the seasons of summer and spring. It’s when the bottlebrush blooms and the lorikeets come to feed. The yarning circle includes my family. Mum, Dad, my two siblings, Nan, Pop, my cousin and myself sitting together. The cockatoo represents Uncle James Ingram, who has played a significant role in my family and visual dreaming, supporting our community. The orange circles represent the flowers and berries.

Sarah Levett

Sarah Levett is a queer Wiradjuri and Gundungurra yinaa (woman). Sarah grew up around Wagga Wagga and has a strong passion for sharing culture, being on country and connecting with her community. This ignites her creativity and inspires her storytelling through art.

Find Sarah:

Alice Peacock

Alice Peacock is a Wagga Wagga-based animator and motion designer with over a decade of experience turning big ideas into stories that get understood and remembered. She has a particular passion for regional community storytelling, and works with purpose-led organisations to give voice and visibility to the people who need it most.

Find Alice:

illuminart 

illuminart are a specialist projection storytelling studio, proud to work alongside lead artist Sarah Levett and a community of local artists, using projection in service of the stories they want to tell.

The team is here behind the scenes, bringing deep experience in making sure the technology always serves the story.

illuminart work with communities across Australia, from outback silos to city precincts, helping bring stories to life after dark.

Tonight, the story belongs to Wagga Wagga. illuminart are here to help it shine.

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