My Mother's Country – Original Aboriginal Painting by T'keyah Ware

My Mother's Country is a deeply personal tribute to my mother, Kelly Taylor, and the Country that shaped her life, identity and connection to culture.

My mother is a proud Yankunytjatjara and Kokatha woman, born in Port Augusta and raised across South Australia and the Northern Territory. Throughout her childhood she travelled with my grandmother, aunties, uncles and brothers, spending time in Alice Springs, Coober Pedy, Ernabella, Indulkana and Wantjapila. These journeys taught her to gather traditional bush foods, care for Country and learn from the stories and knowledge shared by our Elders.

As a child she spent countless days walking Country, visiting waterholes and sacred places, and sitting around the campfire where stories, language and cultural knowledge were passed from one generation to the next. Those experiences shaped the woman, artist and mother she is today.

Through this painting I honour her journey, her strength and the cultural knowledge she has shared with me. The gathering places represent family coming together, while the flowing pathways symbolise the journeys she travelled throughout her life and the enduring connection between our family and Country. The layered dot work reflects the landscapes she walked and the stories she continues to pass on to future generations.

Painted using professional-quality acrylic paints on gallery canvas, this original artwork celebrates family, heritage and the enduring connection between people and Country.

Each original artwork is hand signed by T'keyah Ware and includes a Certificate of Authenticity.