Munimba-ja Artists
Munimba-ja Artists is a collective of multidisciplinary First Nations artists working across diverse practices, career stages and cultural contexts. Connected through an ongoing relationship with Munimba-ja, artists engage in opportunities for experimentation, collaboration, exhibition, commissions, professional development and the presentation of new work.
Munimba-ja works alongside artists to support self-determined and sustainable creative practices through curatorial development, exhibitions, art sales, commissions, arts and business support, mentorship and cultural guidance. Our approach recognises the knowledge, experience and individual trajectories artists bring to their practice, while creating space for new ideas, creative risk and meaningful exchange.
At the heart of Munimba-ja Artists are bold, culturally grounded practices that speak truth, uphold cultural integrity and contribute to the continuing evolution of contemporary First Nations art.
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// Visual Artist
Brenda Mau is a proud Mandubarra woman and a direct descendant of the matriarchal line of her people in the Mamu language area of North Queensland. She also identifies as a Torres Strait Islander woman from Waiben (Kala Lagaw Ya) and has connections to the Kalkadoon (Kalkatungu), Wuthathi/Mutjati (Paman), and Ngadjon-jii/Ngadyandyi (Ngadyan/Dyirbal) peoples.
Brenda is passionate about being an artist, believing that art connects people through storytelling, truth, laughter, and growth. She uses emotional expression to create beautiful artworks, working primarily in digital illustration but also exploring a range of mediums to bring her concepts to life.
Integrity, respect, and collaboration are central to her practice—values instilled in her upbringing and woven into her creative work. Through her art, Brenda seeks to break down barriers, question the status quo, and strengthen the relationship between First Nations people and the wider community.
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// Visual Artist
Bianca Bond is a Kabi Kabi Woman, descending from the Da’la peoples, the traditional custodians of the sunshine coast area and its surrounding unceded outer regions. Bianca comes from a long lineage of strong weavers, dancers and Ancestors that have guided her practices and work within cultural continuity spaces, as well as necessary grassroot work of sharing and passing knowledge, and epistemological systems.Bianca is a Ba'rung, Wong'ai, Waa Waa woman with strong links to Bunya Country and the Bunya Gatherings through her bloodline of thousands of generations
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// Visual Artist
Rachel Bywaters is a multidisciplinary artist and proud Gamilaroi woman of mixed-European heritage, currently living and working on Kabi Kabi Country. Her practice encompasses printmaking, jewellery, sculpture, and installation, and is grounded in a deep commitment to storytelling, cultural expression, and First Nations truth-telling.
She is currently in the final year of a Bachelor of Contemporary Australian Indigenous Art at Griffith University’s Queensland College of Art and Design. Informed by her ancestral lineage and lived experience, Bywaters’ work explores themes of resistance and resilience. Her recent practice incorporates native Gamilaroi grasses—materials imbued with cultural and symbolic significance—to subvert colonial narratives and elevate First Nations perspectives.
Bywaters’ work has been exhibited in group shows including Beneath This Skin at the Queensland State Archives, Undergrowth at the Queensland University Art Galleries, Bonyi: Living Culture at Munimba-ja, and No Souvenirs at the upcoming Horizons Festival. Upcoming exhibitions also include The Shape of Time at Artisan, Glass-Box, Griffith University’s printmaking showcase, and Fresh Eyes at Redcliffe Art Gallery. In 2024, she was invited to judge the Next Generation Art Prize at the Matthew Flinders Art Gallery on Bribie Island, where she currently resides.
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// Visual Artist
Lexie Abel can trace her great nanny back to Wiradjuri country where she was working as a domestic on Roto station, Hillston.Lexie was born out the Back of Bourke and is a mother of 4 raising a revolution on Jinibara land. Lexie navigates being a white appearing woman through her art and how it influences her everyday. Bringing her Aboriginal and colonial heritage together within her contemporary arts practice, she in forever exploring stories, kin and connection through a colonised vs coloniser lens. Her work is a representation of her and her respect of the land in which she lives and creates on.
Working across a multidisciplinary practice focusing on nostalgia, time and place, Lexie is currently working with found objects, textiles, video, graphic design, text, words, murals and growing food in her spare time.
Recent shows include Friendship is a shelter 2024 at Cabulture Hub Gallery, Fringe Munimba-ja 2023, Fresh Eyes 2023 at Pine Rivers Art Gallery, and multiple mural projects from Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast.
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// Visual Artist
Malinda Flynn is a Dungibara and South Sea Islander woman raised across South-East Queensland, with a creative practice grounded in storytelling, cultural materials, and intergenerational learning. She works under the name Gi’ti Gar Art, meaning daylight spirit, a reflection of her commitment to cultural continuation and connection to Country.
Malinda began her arts journey in 1997 at Nungalinya College in Darwin, studying textile arts and learning traditional fibre techniques, natural dyeing, and cultural processes alongside Aunties and Elders. She later completed studies in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Visual Arts at Cairns TAFE, further expanding her skills in textile art and cultural making.
Her practice weaves together fabric art, fibre work, natural materials, and cultural stories. Recently, Malinda has been producing lino-printed textiles, drawing on her knowledge of traditional dyeing and printing processes and her commitment to the protection and honouring of Country. Her work explores culture, identity, resilience, and sovereignty, and she is passionate about creative healing, delivering arts-based social and emotional wellbeing workshops in community.
As a mid-career artist, Malinda is developing her own textile label while mentoring the next generation. Her practice is grounded in cultural continuity and empowerment, demonstrating that creative practice can support cultural strength, community connection, and economic independence. Malinda is a Munimba-ja Artist and Her involvement with this group of blak creatives and other aligned arts collectives continues to reinforce her commitment to community-driven cultural revival and creative excellence.
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// Visual Artist
Lyndon Davis is a highly respected Kabi Kabi (Gubbi Gubbi) artist, educator, and cultural performer with an international reputation. Born and raised on the Sunshine Coast, Lyndon’s arts practice is deeply rooted in his connection to Country, reflecting the rich culture and stories of Kabi Kabi people.
Lyndon’s creative work spans visual art, cultural education, and performance. As a leader in sharing Kabi Kabi culture, he has contributed significantly to the preservation and celebration of traditional knowledge through his workshops, ceremonies, and artistic practice. His work highlights the profound relationship between people and Country, using art as a means to teach, inspire, and connect audiences to the natural world.
In recent years, Lyndon has been exploring the intersection of art and science through cymatics—the study of visualising sound vibrations. His innovative work captures the acoustic energy of species on Kabi Kabi Country, transforming their calls into mesmerizing visual patterns. These artworks offer a unique perspective on the voices of the land, emphasizing the interconnectedness of all living beings.
Lyndon’s dedication to his culture and Country continues to inspire local and global audiences, making his art and storytelling an essential contribution to the cultural fabric of the Sunshine Coast and beyond.
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// Visual Artist
Kerry Klimm is a Guguu Yalanji and Koko Lamalama woman who lives on the unceded lands of the Kabi Kabi peoples on the north side of Meeanjin (Brisbane). Kerry is a journalist and communications specialist with 30 years experience and runs the creative consultancy Flashblak. Kerry is expanding her artistic career and growing body of work titled ‘Spill the tea on the colony’ to speak about the ongoing impact of colonisation on her family.
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// Musician-Performer- Visual Artist
Keely Eggmolesse is a proud First Nations (Kabi Kabi and Gooreng Gooreng) and Australian South Sea Islander woman with over 12 years of experience in the arts and community sectors. She is a multidisciplinary artist, singer-songwriter, and storyteller, exploring various mediums like vocal techniques, dance, theatre, and visual arts. She is also a textiles designer and has a Bachelor of Business (Tourism, Leisure & Events) and a Diploma of Marketing.
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// Print Maker
Matilda Nona is an Argun woman from Badu Island in Maluilgal Sea Country. Her practice brings together printmaking processes, including relief printing and monoprinting, with an experimental approach to making inks from materials connected to her Torres Strait homeland, including fermented mango juice, ochre and charcoal.
Nona’s practice explores maternal ceremonies and draws imagery from land and sea. Her approach to printmaking is also deeply connected to family, Country and cultural knowledge.
“I’m an Argun woman from Badu Island in Maluilgal Sea Country. My totems are the Thupmul (stingray) and the Koedal (crocodile). My wind is the Sagerr Gub (North Easterly).
I was drawn to printmaking through my father, who was a wood carver, which led me to carving on vinyl. I started working with natural pigments and plant extracts as a way of reducing the cost of getting commercial materials from the mainland.
I had a crazy idea — if only I could turn ochres and plant extracts into my own signature inks. It would be significant to me, my people and my homeland. It would be like having a piece of Badu in your home.”
— Matilda Nona
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// Visual Artist
Clea is a proud Mithika and Gunggari woman living and working on Gubbi Gubbi Country.
Art has been a passion for Clea from a very young age, though for much of her life her creative practice remained personal — a form of therapeutic self-care rather than something she pursued professionally. She is now creating and sharing her work with broader audiences.
Having dedicated her career to education as a First Nations teacher, Clea extends this commitment through her art, using her creative practice to share culture, knowledge and stories with others.
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// Visual Artist
Beth Thompson is an interdisciplinary, queer artist whose practice explores identity through cultural reconnection, intergenerational trauma, and belonging via sensory-based approaches. Grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing and informed by contemporary art methodologies, their work positions art-making as both a decolonising and therapeutic process. While their research-based practice focuses on, but is not limited to, painting, installation, and photography, Thompson creates immersive experiences that invite embodied engagement with colour, material, and memory. A Wulli Wulli person with Celtic, Germanic, and Nordic heritage, their work navigates layered identities and evolving relationships. Born and raised on the Gold Coast and currently residing in Brisbane, Thompson studied at Griffith University’s Queensland College of Art and Design, recently completing a Bachelor of Visual Arts (Honours) and holds a Bachelor of Contemporary Australian Indigenous Art. They have exhibited in multiple group exhibitions across Queensland, including the Brisbane Portrait Prize and the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair and recently designed the WFTDA and AMRD Team Australia Roller Derby uniforms.
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// Elder in Residence
Uncle Noel (Gulla) Blair
1947–2026
Jinibara and Cobble Cobble Elder, Artist, Cultural Leader and EducatorBorn in 1947 at Wondai Hospital near Cherbourg, Uncle Noel (Gulla) Blair was a respected Jinibara and Cobble Cobble Elder whose life was dedicated to culture, community, advocacy and the sharing of knowledge.
A celebrated artist, storyteller and cultural educator, Uncle Noel was known for his witty, political and often humorous artworks that offered a sharp and insightful lens on the world around him. Taught to draw and paint by his Elders in Cherbourg, his creative practice was grounded in cultural knowledge, lived experience and a deep commitment to truth-telling.
Growing up under the restrictions of the Aboriginal Protection Act, Uncle Noel understood firsthand the impacts of government control and dispossession. Throughout his life, he used art, storytelling and advocacy as tools for resilience, cultural survival and social change. His work challenged audiences to reflect on history, identity, justice and the ongoing strength of First Nations peoples, while never losing the warmth, humour and humanity that made him so beloved.
Beyond his artistic practice, Uncle Noel was a tireless cultural leader who dedicated countless hours to mentoring young people, supporting community initiatives and creating opportunities for future generations. Whether through public speaking, education programs, exhibitions, cultural workshops or quiet conversations over a cup of tea with lemon squeeze, he shared knowledge generously and encouraged others to walk proudly in culture.
In later years, Parkinson's disease gradually took away his ability to draw and paint. Yet it never diminished the sharp wit, wisdom, humour and insight that defined both his life and his artistic legacy. Even as his health declined, Uncle Noel remained deeply engaged in cultural work, continuing to guide projects, share stories and inspire those around him.
At the time of his passing, Uncle Noel was actively collaborating on exhibitions, public art projects and new creative ventures, demonstrating an enduring commitment to community, culture and the arts. His legacy lives on through his family, his artworks, the many people he mentored, and the countless lives he touched through his generosity, advocacy and unwavering love for his people.
Uncle Noel returned to his ancestors on 6 July 2026, surrounded by the love of his family. He is remembered as a proud Elder, a gifted storyteller, a respected artist and a man whose humour, courage and cultural leadership will continue to inspire generations to come.
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// Visual Artist
Sylvia Nakachi is a descendant from the Eastern Islands of Erub in the Torres Strait, with blood ties to Yupangathie aboriginal peoples from Western Cape York. Nakachi grew up in Bamaga, a remote indigenous community, on Cape York Peninsula. Bamaga is also one of five indigenous communities that make up the Northern Peninsula Area (NPA). Sylvia has a Doctor in Philosophy (PhD) from Batchelor Institute, her thesis titled ‘Erub After 1871 – decolonising the colonial narrative within my Erub world views and perspective as an Erub woman’. Sylvia’s work captures concepts of how her Erub people have been influenced under imperialism and the Victorian Era, and how her people have adapted and transitioned throughout post colonialism. Nakachi focuses on several concepts in her work, to bring new knowledge into research, as she decolonises practices on: Ailan (island) Tombstone Unveiling, Funeral Practices, The Erub Woman, Language and Dabad. Nakachi has dedicated part of her research to her ancestor Dabad, who played a pivotal role in the history and narratives of Erub during pre-colonisation and when the London Missionaries arrived at Kemus on 1 July 1871. Nakachi’s work decolonises her ancestor’s narratives through her own world views and from her family’s oral histories. Her research was to give her ancestor Dabad character, personality, and to capture his life through her Erub’s world views. Nakachi has showcased her work in several art exhibitions around Brisbane and during the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast. Nakachi’s 2017 art exhibition, Iesu ra mir giz ge omaida Mer ge bazarida igaire Torres Strait receive a joint award at the Queensland Gallery and Museum Achievement Awards for Engagement – Organisation with Paid Staff. Sylvia has also taught in several educational institutions and schools around Brisbane. Where she has taught Torres Strait Islander cultural studies and embedding the indigenous perspective through the educational curriculum. Nakachi is also a passionate child advocate and indigenous advisor, who has many years of experience advocating for better educational needs and resources in Logan City public schools.
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// Visual Artist
Enid Morris is a Ngugi woman, one of the three Quandamooka peoples, through her father’s family, and Dungidau Jinibara through her mother’s family, with connections through her grandparents to Kabi Kabi and Gungaloo peoples.
Enid has been painting since she was 14 years old, when she was taught Aboriginal art by her mother’s cousin, Uncle Keven Brunette. Art has remained an important part of her life and cultural practice ever since.
Enid studied a Bachelor of Contemporary Australian Indigenous Art at Griffith University, where she developed her arts practice and skills in researching family history. This contributed to the development of her distinctive, colourful works, which hold multiple layers of stories of Country and Dreaming.
Over the years, Enid has learned Ninungurra, the Dungidau word for Dreaming, and has experienced dreams that have shared knowledge of Ancestors and Creation Beings. Learning language and dance has also been an important part of experiencing and maintaining culture.
For Enid, Aboriginal culture is a living practice — always changing and renewing itself, like a snake shedding its skin: the same snake with new skin, the same Dreaming expressed in new ways.
Enid’s ancestral totem is the Carpet Snake and her skin totem is Kangaroo. Her tribal totems are Fern through her mother’s side and Dolphin through her father’s side.
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// Visual Artist and Musician
Strong, proud and intuitive, Yalanji/Samoan artist Jadamali has her roots planted deep in Yalanji culture and has also been exploring her Samoan identity since her late teens. Jadamali uses mostly the digital art platform to express her journey through life and to tell relatable stories. Jadamali’s intuitive futuristic style gives her artwork a depth of wisdom that extends well beyond her years. Her prints are multi-layered story telling pieces with powerful insight.
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The logo represents the coming together of all mob who create Munimba-ja Art Centre, an Aboriginal Art Gallery and Culture Space that hosts a thriving creative community a nurturing breeding ground for new ideas.
When fresh water meets salt water, a convergence happens. A place is created for new life. This place of coming together becomes home to unique plants and animal communities that have adapted to the brackish waters of the in between spaces — a mixture of fresh water draining from the land and salty seawaters of the oceans.
These liminal places or estuaries also serve as natural filters and become perfect places to provide nurturing breeding grounds for many species of birds, fish, plants and more than human species. Estuaries are among the most productive ecosystems in the world. Many animals rely on estuaries for food, places to breed, and migration stopovers.
Munimba-ja Welcome Place is continually inspired by the meeting of fresh and salt water in the pursuit to nuture and maintain a safe space that can celebrate Blak Excellence.
The Munimba-ja Welcome Place logo was designed as a collaboration between Libby Harward a salt water Murri, and Bj Murphy a Fresh water Murri with Amy Franks and Jenny Zhao from Crumpet Club.