A Geelong health insurance organisation has celebrated NAIDOC Week with an in-house painting session with Wadawurrung Traditional Owner and visual artist Jenna Oldaker.
GMHBA People and Culture chief Kate Barlow said it was a “real privilege” to have Ms Oldaker at the organisation’s main Geelong building on Tuesday, July 4, to discuss her artwork with staff.
“People have been coming from all three floors in the building to ask questions and to see the artwork,” she said.
“For people to be able to talk to her, understand what she’s doing, understand what the painting means, and how it connects to local landmarks and history creates a great learning opportunity.”
Ms Oldaker said the event was an “exciting” opportunity to celebrate the NAIDOC Week theme ‘For Our Elders’ and a “testament to the community” on taking on the First Nations culture.
“My mum and my grandmother are the most inspirational people for me,” she said.
“For us as First Nations people, it’s (NAIDOC Week) a celebration of our achievements and everything that makes our culture wonderful.”
Ms Oldaker said she received a lot of questions from GMHBA staff about her artwork and loved connecting with people through her art.
“Painting is normally a solitary thing as I really just do it at home so it’s really lovely to be able to share it as I work and for people to see the process,” she said.
“For people to see it with their own eyes either passively as they’re walking past or to come and have a yarn with me has worked well.
Ms Oldaker’s mum Aunty Joy Oldaker said she was delighted to see her daughter incorporating their heritage in her artworks.
“I’m so proud of what she’s achieved and where she’s come from, it’s amazing,” she said.
