Finding a passion for storytelling this NAIDOC Week

This NAIDOC Week, Bolton Clarke Seaton Place resident Deirdre will be sharing her passion for indigenous storytelling through art with fellow residents.

Alongside a variety of activities and learning experiences planned for residents, Deirdre will be showcasing the art she collected and learned about while working with indigenous communities in remote parts of the Northern Territory.

“Those years I spent teaching in Alice Springs and Yulara are some of my fondest memories and the local people taught me a lot about our country’s Indigenous heritage,” Deirdre said.

Deidre started her career as a primary school teacher in New South Wales and slowly worked her way up to Deputy Principal. However she said it wasn’t until her career took her to the Northern Territory that she made her most transformative memories, meeting local indigenous artists and developing a passion for their work.

“My husband and I shared a passion for travel and connecting with diverse cultures and communities,” she said.

“I started to collect a lot of the artwork from those areas and that’s where the inspiration for my book Desert Dreamings came from.”

The book features a handpicked collection of art from the desert artists Deirdre crossed paths with and explores the deep connection between people and their land.

Deirdre continues to engage with and celebrate First Nations culture through literature, documentaries and art, with many of the works she collected now displayed in her room at Seaton Place.

She also continues to be inspired by the power of storytelling and says it’s vital for us all to find our own passions in life.

“Follow your dreams, pursue your interests, and love what you do—when you enjoy what you’re doing, life becomes much richer and more rewarding,” she said.