Greeting Card Tin Set – Emily Murray, Theresa Beeron, Abe Muriata, Alison Murray, Tonya Grant

Alison Murray is a Girramay Traditional Owner of the Murray Upper area, near Cardwell, North Queensland.

Alison is a skilled ceramicist with an outstanding portfolio. Her pottery work consists of both traditional and modern designs, including Bagu sculptures, vases, jewellery, Bigin bowls, and, three-dimensional animals. Drawing from traditional stories, Alison’s strong connection to family, place, and heritage is manifested in the work she produces. Her eye for detail, and deep understanding of composition, colour, and pattern is evident in her award-winning creations.

Alison’s artwork has been acquired by the Parliament House Art Collection, National Maritime Museum and National Gallery of Victoria. Alison was most notably awarded the inaugural Emerging Artist Award by the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair. She was a finalist in the 2016 Shepparton Indigenous Ceramic Art Awards & Salon Des Refuses (Darwin). Alison has also created commissioned works for the Cairns Performing Art Centre.

Theresa Beeron is a Jirrbal/ Girramay Traditional Owner. She is based in Murray Upper, North-West of Cardwell, Queensland. Theresa is an accomplished painter, potter, and weaver. As a child, Theresa was taught to weave by her Mother. She specialises in finely crafted Mindi, Burrajingal, and Jawun traditional baskets. These unique baskets are woven meticulously with special rainforest and river grasses. Theresa’s striking pieces mirror the environment in which she lives. Her art speaks to audiences, telling both her personal story and the story of her ancestors. Theresa’s artwork has been acquired by private collections and institutions such as Sydney’s Art Bank and the Queensland Art Gallery. She regularly facilitates workshops, provides cultural advice, and continues to pass on her weaving skills to younger generations.

Tonya Grant is a Jirrbal woman. She is based in the Davidson Falls area, North of Cardwell. Tonya is a remarkable painter and expert weaver of Jawun. Woven with lawyer cane, this traditional bi-cornual basket is unique to the rainforest people. With an almost innate ability, she has perfected her craft from an early age. This was done so under the teachings of her Mother, Desley Henry, a well-known and respected weaver.

Tonya’s inspiration draws from traditional colours, patterns, and design, particularly the cyclone motif associated with her naming place. Tonya and Desley Henry’s work can be found throughout many private and institutional collections, both Nationally and Internationally. This includes the Art Gallery of South Australia, Queensland Art Gallery, Cairns Regional Gallery, and the Parliament House Art Collection (Canberra). Tonya’s designs have also been used to promote the Echo Creek Cultural Centre, where she works as a tour guide, demonstrator, and tutor of cultural practices.

Emily Nigandy Murray is a Girramay and Jirrbal Traditional Owner of the Davidson Creek area. She is based in the Murray Upper area, North-West of Cardwell, Queensland. Emily works across a number of mediums including weaving, painting and ceramics. As an expert weaver of traditional Mindi baskets, Emily has been a tutor and demonstrator of weaving practises at schools, exhibitions and art centres across Eastern Australia. Emily has a very strong connection to place and heritage. Her art draws from traditional stories, calendar events, plants, animals and her homelands.
Her work is represented in a number of private and institutional collections in Australia. This includes the Queensland Art Gallery, British Museum, Lady Cilento Mater Children's Hospital and National Museum of Australia. She has been included in major sculptural installations for the Museum of Oceanography Monaco 2015 (6 months), Cairns Performing Arts Centre 2018 (permanent) and The Townsville Strand Ephemera 2012.