Artist Member
Dallas Brady
Adnyamathana and Yankunytjara
Wood and/or stone crafted objects
Artist Member
Dallas Brady
Adnyamathana and Yankunytjara
Dallas Brady, a young Adnyamathana and Yankunytjara man based in Port Augusta, is an artist and craftsman, whose work demonstrates the continuity of, and innovation within, traditional wood carving practices.
"When I was a young fella,", says Dallas, "I picked up a piece of wood, and started to carve a spear tip. My dad said to me 'your grandfather (Uncle Roy Coulthard) does wood carving, why don't you learn from him? That's what started me off, and I've been working with him ever since. He told me that when you do your carvings you should always talk to it, like it's alive, and that wood later on, he will listen to you."
In turn, Dallas has become a mentor to young Aboriginal people, "I'm going down to the schools, volunteering with the kids, teaching them to make boomerangs and clubs, and demonstrating how to use them. It's not just what I can make from a piece of wood - it's the knowledge that goes into it and passing that on to the young fellas. It's about culture, and keeping it alive."
"When I was a young fella,", says Dallas, "I picked up a piece of wood, and started to carve a spear tip. My dad said to me 'your grandfather (Uncle Roy Coulthard) does wood carving, why don't you learn from him? That's what started me off, and I've been working with him ever since. He told me that when you do your carvings you should always talk to it, like it's alive, and that wood later on, he will listen to you."
In turn, Dallas has become a mentor to young Aboriginal people, "I'm going down to the schools, volunteering with the kids, teaching them to make boomerangs and clubs, and demonstrating how to use them. It's not just what I can make from a piece of wood - it's the knowledge that goes into it and passing that on to the young fellas. It's about culture, and keeping it alive."
Contact details
- SA