Meeting place

This artwork is the Nyinggulu (Ningaloo) Coast in Western Australia, where the bright orange earth meets dark rocky cliffs, and the ocean crashes into the land before flowing out into the wide, bright teal sea.

The painting represents walking in two worlds — a reality for many First Nations people who balance the deep connection to culture and Country with the challenges and opportunities of the western world.

The orange earth symbolises culture, tradition, and the strength of connection to the land. The teal sea represents the wider world — full of possibilities, change, and uncertainty. The place where the waves crash against the rocks is the middle ground, where the two worlds meet.

This meeting place is both powerful and delicate. The rocks stand firm, like the resilience of First Nations peoples holding onto their cultural roots. The waves, ever-changing, show the movement and adjustment needed to navigate a world that’s always shifting. The whitewash of the waves is like a moment of unity, a reminder that these two worlds can come together without losing what makes each unique.

Meeting Place captures the balance, the strength, and the beauty of living between two worlds, finding harmony in the middle.

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My name is Samantha, and I’m a proud Torres Strait Islander woman with ancestral connections to both the Eastern and Central Islands, as well as Kiwi and Scottish ancestry. I was born on the mainland on Turrbal/Yuggera Country and raised on Kaurna Yerta.

My paintings are a contemporary expression of my deep connection with First Nations peoples across many countries. Each piece reflects the relationships, stories, and truths I’ve gathered through my journey.

I’ve had the privilege of visiting over 70 communities across Australia and listening to thousands of people share their lived experiences with me. These stories nourish my soul and deepen my connection to the rich and complex fabric of this nation.

But listening also carries weight. Time and time again, I’m reminded of the ongoing inequities our people face — legacies of colonisation still embedded in our systems and institutions.

My art emerged as a form of healing. Taught to me by healers in different parts of the country, these techniques became a way to process the vicarious trauma I was absorbing while engaging with communities across areas like health and wellbeing, education, child protection, incarceration, domestic and family violence, employment, and justice.

Through repetition and rhythm, these artistic methods calm my mind and allow me to fully process what I’ve heard. Each piece is part of my healing — keeping me strong, grounded, and able to continue fighting for our rights and elevating community voices in my professional life.

Every artwork I create is inspired by a real story — a moment, a voice, a truth I carry with me — and each one stands as a powerful reminder of the collective hope we share for a better future.