Project Information
Art in the Suburbs!
City of Darwin is working with local artists to create and design works for the purposes of upgrading and beautifying water tanks in the community. The project allows for artists to respond to the theme of water, local ecologies, and the natural and cultural elements that thrive within our Darwin region.
The first series features four new works by Larrakia Artist Denise Quall, in collaboration with Designer Ciella Williams. Denise has drawn from her lino cut, painting and stencil-based works featuring top end bird and sea. Ciella worked with Denise to arrange and transform her artworks into four distinct colour way designs, which were then printed onto large vinyl wraps and installed on the tanks. Each of the four designs infuses traditional and contemporary artwork methods and graphic design technologies to realise the artist’s vision. The artworks are located throughout the Water Wards at Malak, Wagaman, Anula and Moil sports ovals.
Artist Statements
Denise Quall:
I worked alongside digital designer Ciella Williams, who did an amazing job of creating brilliant designs with my artworks. She incorporated my works of land and ocean animals, as well as background colours of the Larrakia country and sea. These designs were commissioned by City of Darwin to be wrapped around four irrigation tanks located at sporting ovals in the northern suburbs and throughout the Waters Ward.
In Malak there is the Dangalaba (saltwater crocodile) artwork, which is an animal significant to the Dangalaba Clan (a Larrakia clan).
The Anula water tank features Gakinga (magpie goose). Gakinga welcomes balnba (the wet season). This is a time of rejuvenation.
The Wagaman tank shows the Mudla (mudcrab), which is a healthy bush tucker found in local creeks, coastal flats and river mouths.
At the Moil tank you can see Damibila (barramundi), as it waits patiently for the wet season and when the rivers overflow. This is a joyous time for barra as they head to gudndimidjinda (saltwater) and the overflowing karawa (fresh waters) to spawn.
Ciella Williams
It was such a pleasure to ‘remix’ Denise's artworks into a large-scale digital format. We had an initial adventure together, visiting all the oval sites and discussing family histories, birds, trees, and colours. I then got to photograph her portfolio of amazing prints and paintings - there were so many beautiful works to choose from! I began by cutting out animal and plant motifs to feature and extending more pattern-based works for backgrounds. I created some initial mock-ups, and we sat together to play with colours and placements while her grandkids drew pictures in my lounge room. It was a truly lovely and very Darwin process, and I hope we can work together again.
Artist Bios:
Meet the Artist
Denise Quall is a local Larrakia visual artist and painter and a direct descendent of the Dangalaba Clan. Born and bred in Darwin, Denise creates contemporary artworks across a variety of mediums including print, fabric, and paint. Final works selected will be based on original lino cut artwork designs by Denise, and included within a set of artworks, with Designer Ciella Williams, to irrigation tank specifications.
Meet the Designer
Ciella Williams is a local visual artist and graphic designer born and bred in Darwin. As a graphic designer, Ciella works predominantly in digital formats, as well as branding and illustration. Ciella is one half of the Creepy Curlew design studio team also based in Darwin.