Jessica Begg
Yued Noongar Woman
Jessica is a proud Yued Noongar descendant living in her hometown of Moora, Western Australia, with her family. She felt inspired to create art as a way of feeling connected to her culture, which has been mostly lost due to her great grandfather being part of the stolen generation.
She draws inspiration from her family, the native flora and rough spinifex of the Yued region, the heat in the summer, the Moore River and the meeting places in between. She uses an unrestricted palette and traditional shapes and symbols to create a contemporary interpretation of her culture.
Artworks
Seven Sisters 1
One of my favourite Dreamtime stories is of the Seven Sisters, the way it connects the landscape with the night sky. The story often involves the sisters being chased and transforming into stars to escape their pursuer, ultimately forming the Pleiades star cluster. This transformation not only adds a magical element to the tale but also provides a beautiful explanation for the appearance of these stars in the night sky.
Place of Water
This artwork depicts being out on Country, and feeling the breeze, smelling the air, walking bare foot on the sandy beaches. It connects to your experiences on Noongar country and reminds you that you can always find connection by walking on Country
Pink Colours
The Noongar Season 'Djilba' means spring time, it is represented by the colour pink as it symbolises growth of wildflowers and plants.
Boornooroo
Boornooroo means late summer in Noongar language. This piece depicts the hottest time of the year in Australia when Country is in drought.
Healing Places
Healing places means a place where one can seek physical healing, emotional release and leave with a sense of peace and renewal.
Mika
Mika means 'Moon' in the Noongar language. In most Aboriginal cultures the moon represents a man and the sun, a woman. This piece represents my great grandfather and in light of learning more about him and the hardships he suffered from being an Aboriginal man.
Grandmother's Country 5
This piece represents my Grandmothers Country It means so much to be able to paint my country, heavily focusing on the landscapes where my heritage lies, where my spirit is connected, where I have been born, where I am living. Feeling a sense of connection to the past, to my family, and to the land that has been our home for generations. I feel a sense of belonging and purpose
Calm Place
Calm place to me is not just a physical location, but a state of mind - a place where one could find solace, comfort, and healing for the body, mind, and soul.
Garden Scene
The piece depicts a vibrant garden scene with an array of colourful flowers in full bloom. The flowers include banksias, daisies, golden wattle, bursting with hues of a dark pink proteas, bottlebrush flower and flowering red gum.
Full Bloom
This vibrant piece features a beautiful array of colourful flowers in full bloom, with delicate petals in shades of pink, purple, yellow, and orange.
Native Bouquet
The flowers in the painting range from a delicate burgundy, scarlet star and golden wattles to bold proteas and banksias, each one meticulously rendered to showcase its unique beauty.
Bush Flowers
The floral painting features a stunning bouquet of colourful flowers that include proteas, bottlebrush and a light purple flower called the scaevola Aussie salute, with blooms of different hues intertwining and overlapping to create a rich tapestry of colours.
Pink Banksia
The native flora of Australia and the enduring beauty of nature. With the light pink protea and soft blue banksias, they remind us of the intricate connections that sustain life and the importance of preserving these natural treasures for future generations.
Grandmother's Country 4
This piece represents my Grandmother's Country. It means so much to be able to paint my country, heavily focusing on the landscapes where my heritage lies, where my spirit is connected, where I have been born, where I am living. Feeling a sense of connection to the past, to my family, and to the land that has been our home for generations. I feel a sense of belonging and purpose.
Waugal
Waugal means Rainbow Serpent in Noongar language. This piece depicts the story of the rainbow serpent, leading to the river being referred to as a dreaming track. To the Yued people they believed the serpent created the Moore river, moving from one waterhole to another. There is a common belief that the Waugal permanently resides in the deep river pools in the vicinity of the Moore river.
Family
This piece depicts family and loved ones coming together to bond and connect. The rainbows represent family members and the circle represents a meeting place.