I’ve always loved art from a very young age. My father’s family were creative. His mother was an avid shell collector and Aboriginal businesswomen from Broome Western Australia and then in the 60’s they moved to Darwin. She painted shells and landscape paintings. My mother her people from the Northern
Territory had strong cultural connections to their stories and land. In my early years these two aspects prompted my self-discovery learning journey and I
wanted to know more and record more. This sparked me into exploring how I could do this for my family and self. Now years on I have continued with doing art
but it’s now for my family, children and their children to know, understand and
grow about our family, our histories and stories through my paintings. This is my legacy, my way of contributing and giving to my family, culture and people.

I had to seek permission from my Elder’s on my mother’s side
from Borroloola, Garrawa Language Group. I was fortunate that back in the 90s Senior
Elders were still alive and I had the privilege over many years to work in Borroloola which also gave me connection and access to them, my stories and supported me in creating imagery to fit very important cultural stories. This foundational work was and still is pivotal in what I paint and how I portray
the stories within my paintings, even today. I merge Borroloola imagery with all my paintings. I do Stolen Generations family history, Aboriginal people
connections and concerns, Broome stories and lands, and figures and animals all imagery that I have created over my lifetime.

I paint five Songlines or Dreamings of my Ancestors: Stone Dreaming, Nygabaya or Spirit People Dreaming, Moon Dreaming, Fire Dreaming and
Stranger Serpent Dreaming. My totems are Saltwater Crocodile, Green Sea Turtle, Brolga, Dugong and Osprey.

I am an Aboriginal contemporary artist so I love painting on
paper, recycled paper, recycled jars and pots and canvas. My best medium is acrylic and in recent years I am loving working with Jo Sonja acrylic paints.

I love that over the past twenty or so years I’ve had the good opportunity to bring my own people to view, purchase and appreciate my artwork.

I know with the stories that my artwork depict some old people in the 90s knew these stories and they had told me that they were old
Dreamings that may have been forgotten or possibly lost. Many people cry, emotional and hug me through their tears for doing my paintings recording culture and stories of family
or Stolen Generations history.

There are a range of different meanings behind various pieces of my artwork. Generally, it really is dependant in what I story I want to portray in the painting. I tend to do paintings that raise people’s interest and curiosity about aboriginal people and our issues but don’t have opportunity to talk and further understand us. I do paintings that stimulate conversation and can draw the viewer into sometimes sensitive and difficult matters through a visual medium that may gently that may gently support their further understanding of Indigenous people, their stories, history, culture and life.

For many years I have struggled for recognition and acknowledgement as an artist. Not giving up and having a good support network around me has been crucial. Not having money or financial independence. Social
exclusion, marginalisation and racism are impacting factors, but they only made me more determined. It has been a hard road for many years but with effort, consistency, persistence and discipline I am slowly reaping connections with further understanding from my Aboriginal community and wider community of my artwork.

I notice changes now. I’m influenced by the world that
surrounds me and the concerns people face either individually, within families and communities and societies. I listen and portray imagery through my eyes and
my interpretation in the hope of creating positive change. I’m all about making life better. Whatever small contribution I can make I’ll keep on doing what I
do as an Aboriginal artist.

For me living here in Darwin with family connected to remote
Aboriginal regions coming and visiting and not being far away it’s been easy, familiar and comforting. Also I’m one of those strange people that look at the
person and listen to their stories first and foremost as this can be a wonderful work on canvas. So my traditions from a cultural perspective are entwined and
ingrained in me as a person. If I didn’t walk with this I think my mum who I live with will certainly tell me in no uncertain terms, “that I didn’t fall out of the sky, remember who you are and who you come from.”

I tell people it’s a great because your get to record and restore history and culture. It is needed. However, I caution them. It is hard and most people won’t understand as it is not necessarily a career, but a vocation and you may not be able to survive on an artist wage. Get some qualification you can do to earn money and get a cash flow. As artwork and being an Aboriginal artist is expensive. It is not a hobby. It is your investment in self and your people and it will be your life’s work.

Since 1987 and I had my first solo exhibition in 1989 a very long time.

My imagery is connected to Garrawa (Borroloola NT) my Ancestor’s stories where I apply my interpretations, where I use a cream circle or dot with three inner circle and dots connected to represent the Stone Dreaming. Then there are the Spirit People and imagery connected to the Spirit People Dreaming. Fire imagery connected to Fire Dreaming and the moon connected to Moon Dreaming and the Rainbow Serpents connected to the Stranger Serpent Dreaming. Also, my animals for my totems and a variety of figures that I am known for creating and including in my paintings representing Aboriginal people, our lives and stories.

I believe my artwork contributes to the preservation and restoration of my family, people and communities and Aboriginal culture. I keep the stories and culture alive and share to others either Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people or other people of different cultures and other Australians.

This year 2023 in late July I will be exhibiting with Gary Lang another Aboriginal Artist in a collaborative exhibition. Showcasing our shared works and experiences spanning over each of our 30 years plus as Aboriginal artists in the Northern Territory. It will be held at the Darwin Entertainment Center in Darwin. I’m super excited about this upcoming event and can’t wait to do this project.

If your in town come along and view my works. Say hi.

Yes. I can do small and large commissions. Four spaces a year for commissions.

All my merchandise is listed under my business name of Joanne Nasir Art.

Please note, I do not have any stock on hand except my original paintings and/or prints on cotton rag paper. Limited Edition prints are printed in Darwin.

All my merchandise from cups, blankets and Tees are printed and shipped by my production partner Printify. They are quality printers from US-based manufacturer of print on demand.

Merchandise in Australia may take up to 4 weeks and 6 to 8 weeks internationally.

You can always reach out to myself to check.

Joanne Nasir Art does not refund on painting and/or prints. Unless there has been damage to the print colour. Note there is a 30 day refund policy. No refund on purchase but you can get credit for another item to the same value.