ππΏ Wai, my name is Presten and I am a 24 year old Indigenous artist living in Port Lincoln, South Australia. I was born in Port Augusta and grew up in Ceduna and I am a proud Wirangu/Dieri/Kokatha/Mirning/Arabana man.
I am a descendant of the desert & ocean tribes of Australia. I am a country boy, have country blood and country in my soul.
Following in my Grandmother's footsteps, art has always been a big part of my life. It is my outlet, my safety, my pride and my church. Art is something my family and my culture have been practising for millennia.
I have always been interested in all types of art and I am so passionate about all mediums, forms and tools within the art world and the endless options to create something strange, beautiful and captivating.
Art does something to us. It provokes and stimulates something deep within us that we all share. It is a very special form of storytelling and one which is sacred to my culture.
I often lose myself in my own thoughts as I tell my stories through painting. I love that we can all let our imaginations spill out onto canvas with such bewildering colours and uniquely textured details telling stories in ways that words just can't.
My mother and grandmother taught me everything I know about art and I am so grateful for the passion they ignited in me.
It feels good to be able to keep this important tradition alive in our family and hopefully pass it on to generations ahead.
I live with my partner Troy who runs his own digital design business, Dreamweave and our two Jack Russells Max & Ruby.