Story Behind the Piece:
May was the keeper of stories. Not the loud, sprawling tales meant for crowds, but the quiet ones—the murmured threads passed from elder to child beneath a desert moon. Her face in this painting emerges from the night, the white dots creating the shimmer of stars against the vast Western Desert sky. Each mark holds a memory, a name, a path walked over generations.
When May spoke, it was never rushed. “Slow,” she would say, “like the water finding the rock holes.” This piece embodies her wisdom: the stillness before understanding, the patterns that only reveal themselves to those who wait. The space around her represents the silence of the desert, while her gaze captures the strength of someone who carries the weight of her ancestors and the future all at once.
May reminds us that the greatest stories aren’t written—they’re lived, traced in the land, the wind, and the stars above. To truly see her is to see the interconnectedness of it all: a woman, her Country, and the unbroken chain of knowledge she protects.
Availability for May:
May’s story will be part of the Wentworth Gallery in Brisbane during my solo exhibition on April 19, 2025. Visit to experience her quiet strength and the intricate connections she represents. If her story resonates with you, or if you have your own vision, I’d love to collaborate and bring it to life. Reach out to begin the process.
