‘time to get creative’

FOUNDER / CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Monks is a multi-disciplinary creative of Yamaji Wajarri and European heritage living and working on Awabakal (Newcastle) and Cammeraygal Country (Kirribilli). Monks’ practice is informed by her cross-cultural identity, using storytelling as a way to connect the past with the present and future. Her works take a conceptual approach that are embedded with narratives and aim to promote conversation and connection.

An award-winning designer and artist, Monks crosses many disciplines across contemporary art and design. Monks is well known for her success as a solo and collaborative artist and founder of blackandwhite creative and mili mili.

Nicole was the winner of UNSW Art & Design Indigenous Professional Development Award, ArtsNSW Aboriginal Design Grant, Vivid Design competition (furniture) and Good Design Award and DIA award - Place.

Nicole’s works are collected nationally including the Powerhouse, Museum of Applied Arts and Science (MAAS) and National Gallery of Victoria and Art Gallery of WA. While her public artworks are throughout NSW, in private, public, education, heath and infrastructure projects having works commissioned and installed for councils, institutions, developers and government.

Photo credit - Joseph Mayers

ARTIST

Jason Wing is a Sydney based artist who strongly identifies with his Chinese and Aboriginal heritage. Wing has completed many large budget permanent public artworks around Sydney. He is adept at managing a team and is committed to complying with his contractual obligations. Wing began as a street artist and has since expanded his practise to incorporate public art, photo media, installation and painting. Influenced by his bi-cultural upbringing,

Jason explores the ongoing challenges that impact his wider community. Calling into question our understanding of history and of our current socio-political reality, Wing repurposes everyday objects and imagery, creating works that are both visually confronting and deceptively simple.

Jason’s Public Artworks can be seen all over Australia; from the streets of Goulburn and Sydney’s Chinatown to open spaces of private developments including “Wangal Wall” at Rhodes Central.

ARTIST

Maddison Gibbs is a proud Gunu Baakandji woman who grew up in Dubbo, NSW. She currently lives and works between Sydney and Kandos, NSW. Both artist and activist, Maddison Gibbs’ practice examines dual histories – focusing on stories of past and present Aboriginal societies and spirit. A multidisciplinary artist, Gibbs works across a wide spectrum of cultural praxis, utilising many methods and ideologies to create a wide variety of works from paintings, murals and Public Artworks for private developers, council and large infrastructure works.

A current thematic of Gibbs’ work focuses on the intergenerational stories of contemporary Aboriginal affairs – with a focus on telling women’s narratives through an environmental lense and caring for Country focusing on sustainable practise and first nations futures.

Maddie works as both a solo artist, with collaborations and as part of larger project teams. Recent projects include collaborations with Nicole Monks for Yeo Park, Ashfield as well as Jason Wing for the Sydney Harbour Bridge Cycleway Redevelopment (Sydney Metro and ASPECT), Canturbury Station Upgrade artwork, Stanmore Station upgrade artwork and Concord Oval Redevelopment public artwork.

Maddison is the proud recipiant of 2023 NSW Visual Artist (Emerging) Fellowship with CreateNSW curated by Artspace.

Photo credit - Joseph Mayers

CURATOR

Curator and proud Larrakia, Jingili, and Anglo woman from the Northern Territory, currently living and working on Gadigal Country.

Coby has over fifteen (15) years experience as a Curator in institutions including the Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA), Art gallery of NSW and Powerhouse Museum (MAAS), Sydney.

ARTIST / CULTURAL ADVISOR

Leanne Tobin is a passionate multi-disciplinary artist and educator, residing on the land of her Dharug ancestors, the traditional custodians of the Greater Sydney region. Leanne often works collaboratively, using her art practice to tell local histories and stories.  

Through her art, she seeks to evoke in others, an environmental conscience and respect towards Ngurra (Country) and acknowledgement of those who cared for her. Leanne’s work seeks to encourage an open and honest dialogue about the past and to nurture, respect and care for Country while also conveying the intrinsic spiritual connection Aboriginal people have with the land; a connection often hidden beneath the concrete and tar of the city and suburbs. 2025 

ARTIST / CULTURAL ADVISOR

Uncle Charles ‘Chicka’ Madden is a respected Sydney Elder of the Gadigal people. He has lived within the inner-city area of Sydney for most of his life, serving the Aboriginal community as Director of the Aboriginal Medical Service, Secretary of the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, Director of the Aboriginal Hostels NSW and is a life member of the Redfern All Blacks. 

As well as an active community leader, Uncle Chicka is an important artist who has created a number of ceramic sculptures and paintings inspired by his Gadigal country. He has been commissioned to create a number of works including a painting for St Vincent’s Health Australia and an installation for the Redfern Community Centre’s Elders Lounge in collaboration with Nicole Monks. 

ARTIST / DESIGNING WITH COUNTRY

Bernadette (B) Hardy is a Dharug and Gamilaraay woman with Irish and English roots, and mother of three little people. 
A qualified practising spatial designer, B lives, works, and plays on Dharug Country. 

As founder of hardyhardy and Associate Professor at UNSW, B Bbrings over 20 years of experience in designing, teaching, and communicating Country visually. 

Guided by Country and belonging, B’s work creates spaces of care, connection, and love for all beings. 

Photo credit - Joseph Mayers

ARTIST / DESIGNER / MAKER

Sydney & Blue Mountains-based Artist/ Designer Maker.

My artwork tells a narrative of First Nations cultural practices, heritage, family and community. It is a combination of Women's Business, acknowledging the past and moving forward to the future.

My connection to Gadigal Country, is a deep spiritual connection through my First Nation cultural birth rights. My lineage connects me to fresh water and sea waters through my mother's bloodlines from the Boonwurrung, Palawa and YortaYorta Nations, and Wiradjuri, Wonnarua and Gamilaraay Nations through my father’s lineage.

I am passionate about bringing my First Nation art & design and culture to life using contemporary medium and traditional themes.

My focus is fashion, textiles and surface pattern designs. with my fashion collection shown in London and Paris 2025.

I have worked in collaboration with companies such as Greater Western Aboriginal Health Service (GWAHS), Balarinji, Microsoft, Adobe, Baker & McKenzie, UNSW, Macquarie Group, NRMA, MSD Pharmaceutical and many more.

Photo credit - Joseph Mayers

ARTIST / DESIGNER

Jasmine Miikika Craciun is a multi-media artist and graphic designer residing on Gadigal land. While working predominantly in digital illustration and mural, her artistic practice also includes animation, sculpture, textile and installation. 

Jasmines art-making process is informed by her diverse familial background (Barkindji, Malyangapa, Romanian, Austrian) with the goal of celebrating the strength of those who came before her.

​Jasmine has been exploring the intersections of her identity and the places she is deeply connected to but geographically separated from. 

A sense of place and home are important themes in Jasmines work, identifying the disruption of diplacement experienced by all of her grandparents throughout recent and colonial history and how that has shaped who and where she is today. 

ARTIST / ARTS WORKER

Jenine Boeree was born in Perth Western Australia on Noongar Country in 1956. Growing up in WA.

Boeree moved to New South Wales to start her family in 1977. First settling in Sydney and then the Mid-North Coast in 1981, during this time Boeree has always developed her creative practice, through textiles, glass, painting and pattern making, completing a Certificate 1V in Visual Arts at the Great Lakes TAFE NSW. Boeree is now settled in Newcastle on Awabakal Country.

In 2007 Boeree was reconnected with her mob from the Murchison region in WA, Yamaji Wajarri, and has since returned yearly to connect with Country and Community.

Her practice has become a way of connecting to Country and to heal wounds as part of the stolen generation. Boeree is a renown tactile artist, in particular her intergeneration collaborative works with her daughter Nicole Monks and Grandson Yarra Monks.

Photo credit - Joseph Mayers

ARTIST

Painter, weaver and sculptor.

As a member of the Stolen Generation, much of her artwork is a commentary on her life as a Nyoongar woman and the deep sense of loss and displacement experienced by Aboriginal people. 

Sharyn works across a range of media including painting, sculpture, woven forms and site-specific installations, often choosing materials such as ochres, resins and grasses that connect to land.

Her work explores personal and cultural relationships to Country, specifically her home on Nyoongar Boodja.

Photo credit - Joseph Mayers

CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT / CREATIVE

Charlotte Hilder started her creative industries career in film, she has been producing, curating and managing arts and cultural initiatives for various government, arts, and community organisations.

Charlotte has also collaborated with diverse artists for over 17 years on varied cultural initiatives, including working on Festivals such as ‘Yirramboi’ – First Nations Arts Festival, the Asia TOPA triennial Festival in Melbourne and Sculpture by the Sea in Sydney and Perth.

Charlotte has qualifications in Fine Arts, Multimedia Design and Community Cultural Development, and is passionate about cross-cultural and cross-platform creative initiatives, and mentors emerging artists from diverse backgrounds.

Working closely with Community, councils, curators, clients and mili mili artists, Lottie navigates the sensibilities of all stakeholder to ensure Community knowledge is included and shared throughout the project from inception, developing a brief, concept through to installation.

Photo credit - Joseph Mayers

ARTIST

Photo credit - Joseph Mayers