What a pleasure it’s been to work with Dean, Kayla and Linda at Healing Works over the past months.

The invaluable work they do alongside Living Works to support and educate our community on suicide prevention is something I’ve learnt more about during our creative journey together, as I’ve designed and created an artwork of the organisations partnership and their vison to come alongside people to weather life’s storms.  The artwork Puromaliko – Meaning ‘To Lift Up’ was a surprise gift from Healing Works to Living Works and it was wonderful to be a part of the gift giving and artwork reveal at the Honeysuckle Hotel Friday afternoon (19-11-21) luncheon with the team.

Puromaliko – To Lift Up

Puromaliko shares the story of collaboration and working together towards shared vision through the partnership of Living Works and Healing Works.  Artwork imagery acknowledges traditional custodians and highlights the values people first, community and the support we can give each other through life’s challenges.

Central to the design a large gathering circle depicts connection and coming together to work towards empowering communities with sustainable outcomes, helping those in need and ultimately saving a life.

Connected people symbols flow across the canvas, highlighting doing the journey together and building valued kinship within the Living & Healing Works communities, across all stakeholders.  Their journey upward within the design reflects travelling the path of healing through learning and empowerment as we move toward the vision for a world free from suicide loss.  Two larger interwoven people to the left of the gathering circle celebrate the partnership between the organisation and the power of supporting each other, as people come alongside people, to weather life’s storms. 

Traditional symbol for Elders sits in a prominent position at the top right of the artwork, acknowledging traditional custodian and their connection to country.  This imagery also signifies learning through highlighting the programs and training to assist people through their healing life journey, as Elders traditionally passed on cultural knowledge to youth within the tribal structure.  Within this symbol three people face the Elders depicting Healing Works 3 key values being:  Integrity, Acknowledgement and Empowerment and the organisations goals to honour commitments, deliver exceptional results and to be welcomed back.

Running up the right side of the artwork message stick imagery shares a timeline of key milestones of the organisations journey towards suicide prevention and also tells the story of all who have been support through the programs offered.

The artwork sits on a backdrop of songlines on country across the footprint in which the organisation operates, picking up waterways and landscapes.

Together Puromaliko celebrates community moving forward towards competence, confidence and staying strong as we Puromaliko, meaning lift each other up.

Size: 900 x 600 mm

Date: October 2021

Medium: Mixed medium

I enjoy providing an opportunity to communicate with you personally on artworks of interests and their significance and story.  My hope and vision for my online Gallery is to connect with each prospective buyer, allowing for interchange and sharing around your individual art needs, as would occur in a gallery or exhibition.  It is an honour to have my artwork integrated into your living or work space and I am available to you to ensure the acquisitions of my works is a gratifying and pleasurable experience.