Niah Mcleod is a contemporary artist of Yuin, Wandandian and Monero descent. Her paintings are purely intuitive based, of moments and feeling, a complete mediative process that leaves viewers to be hypnotised by her intricate and precise detail.
'Murnawar Doonoochnggul' – meaning Daughter of the Owl, Is a collection of her recent artworks.
Drawing on the love of her language, Monero/Ngarigu/Dhurga, and the deep connection and belonging that comes from learning language with her two children, form the inspiration for this exhibition.
“It felt right that my 3-year-old son gave a literal helping hand in the telling of these stories in paint. Although they are, for me, a new series of paintings, the more I painted, the more I felt the oldness of these stories, my stories, and my belonging to them.”
Painting names and their meanings:
Gugaa - Stringy Bark
Belongs to the Eucalyptus Species, The Stringy Bark is my Totem tree and part of my "skin"
Bana, Gugaa - Bana, meaning Rain and Gugaa meaning stringy Bark
Raining on the stringy barks
Bana, Gugaa Waraawara - Bana 'Rain", Gugaa "stringy bark" Waraawara "fishing line string"
Fishing in the rain amongst the stringy barks
Ngudjung Yugarang - Mother's Heartbeat
This is one of the first paintings I painted and the underlying of all my paintings (you will se this throughout most of my paintings) Named from one of my Dads books.
meaning to me, Land vibrations, The start of all creations.
Ngudjung Ngulla - Mother tree
This is titled after one of my Fathers books "Juella and the Ngudjung Ngulla"
About a young girl and her relationship with the Mother tree and her sense of belonging.
Gupu Dreaming - Water dreaming
This is the story where salt water meets fresh water and the life cycle between them
Djirawara - Leaves
Gurad, Bagan - Earth, Ground, Land
Waraawara - Fishing line string