Maree Bradbury, born 1960.
Maree's mother was a First Nation women, born on Gomeroi Country, NSW. Maree now lives on Macleay Island, Queensland, on Quandamooka Country and has recently taken the step to become a full-time artist.
Her artworks are influenced from her ancestors, stories of the past, memories, feelings and dreams. Maree transfers them onto a canvas using a kaleidoscope of colours, brush strokes and dots to create a story. Some of Maree’s stories are very personal about her life, loss and grief. Maree also draws on her dreams that come to her as stories from her ancestors that now are part of the stars and planets that twinkle above.
Maree paints flowers, fruits, food and bushes from her country and also where she now lives on the island. Her artwork is a celebration of colours and shapes that shine through as a memory of watching a sunset or a morning sunrise, a walk on the beach and the beautiful gardens that grow here. She mainly uses vibrant and pulsating palates that dance together making your eyes slowly and sensually move around the canvas.
Her love of art has been with her since a child, she has always loved to draw and has always dabbled in fibre arts such as needle point, lacemaking, knitting and crochet. It wasn’t until later in life she took her passion more seriously and decided to go to Tafe and explore her love of colour, textures and creativity.
Her education at Murwillumbah Tafe included both Fine Arts and Visual Arts. Maree has exhibited in many art Galleries both in NSW and QLD. With several artworks being sold to overseas collectors, her latest entry in to an exhibition on the Macleay Island called Monochrome, where her artwork called 'My Grandmother's Country' was given an award as well as selling on the opening day of the exhibition. Maree has also been featured artist with Bluethumb and finalist in the 2022 Bluethumb art prize.