“For Our Elders’, a collection of works by the Central West Family Support Group (CWFSG) Girls Group Program, is now hanging at the Condobolin District Hospital.
The new Exhibition was launched at the Condobolin Health Service on Thursday, 6 July. It was combined with NAIDOC Week celebrations which included a Flag Raising Ceremony and a Morning Tea.
Arts OutWest installed the new artworks by Lorraina, Deidre, Summer, Amelia, Casey, Zakayla, Indiana, Alequa, Sarah and Tamera, which were developed from their thoughts and feeling for their Elders. The Exhibition is also supported by the NSW Government and Western NSW Local Health District.
Arts OutWest rotate shows in hospitals across the Central West to activate and enliven these spaces for patients, staff, and visitors.
“Our core business is to promote, educate, facilitate and advocate for arts and cultural development in our region,” a post on the Arts OutWest Facebook Page read.
The Girls Group meet each Tuesday afternoon during the School Term from 3pm to 5pm. At the start of the Program CWFSG established rules and what was expected from the girls as a whole. These rules included showing respect for themselves and each other.
“The girls have enjoyed doing various activities where they support each other and encourage each other to participate in every opportunity,” a blurb about the Art Exhibition reads.
“We do some fun activities with the girls, but we also have some serious discussions with them as well. The discussions include, but not limited to the following; bullying, respect for self and others as well as personal hygiene.
“For the past six weeks, the Girls Group have been working on their artworks which is based on the theme ‘Four Our Elders’. Their stories and paintings have developed from their own feelings and thoughts of their Elders. They represent family members such as Pop, Nan, Aunties and Uncles.”

ABOVE: Tamera Kirby and her artwork. “This painting is about my Great Grandfather Mervyn Sloan. He was a proud Wiradjuri man from Condobolin. The big round circle on each corner symbolizes the camping grounds which my Great Grandfather and children camped on. The long curvy road symbolizes the long journey they took together. The little dot on the road symbolizes his children, they were always by his side. The two sand goannas symbolize his totem. The two boomerangs symbolize my Great Grandfather always coming back home to Condobolin no matter where his journeys took him. The circles also symbolize towns, so the biggest circle symbolizes Daretonas that is where they stayed and made a home and Pops children than branched off having their own families. The three other circles are towns that they also travelled through, which was Bourke, Wilcannia and Orange.” Artist Tamera Kirby. More on the Art Exhibition on Page 10. Image Credit: Arts Outwest Facebook Page.

BELOW: “This painting is of a warrior, no person, when I was painting him, I felt close to my dear Uncle Bradford Calliss. As I finished it, it was like looking as a version of his spirit, standing tall and strong without the temptations of this society, but a strong warrior in the dreamtime. When I Look at this painting, I don’t see my uncle with his struggles, I see him now standing tall, strong and proud waiting to be reunited with his family. He is my elder, my uncle who loved to share his culture.” Artist – Aaliyah Kirby. Image Credit: Arts Outwest Facebook Page.

BELOW: ‘For Our Elders’, a collection of works by the Central West Family Support Group (CWFSG) Girls Group Program was officially launched at Condobolin Health Service on Thursday, 6 July. Image Credit: Arts Outwest Facebook Page.

BELOW: “My Painting is about my Nan; she is a strong woman. We go to church with Nan every Sunday and sing with her in the church choir. Sometimes at church we make a fire, where we sit with Nan and the other Elders under the stars, and they tell us stories. Sometimes we travel to other towns for church fellowship.” Artist – Lorraina O’Dell. Image Credit: Arts Outwest Facebook Page.