Donella Waters, an artist from Kamilaroi country, has won the 2014 Jobfind Calendar Art Competition and taken home the $ 500 prize, accelerating her journey to realising a long-held dream of holding an art exhibition overseas. She is pictured here, on the left, with Carly Randle of Jobfind.
Having grown up in the Toomelah Mission, NSW, Donella draws creative inspiration from her Kamilaroi heritage. “My aboriginal heritage is …implanted in me, it has always been very spiritual to me and … influenced my life remarkably,” she says. It is this connection with the natural landscape in Northern NSW that inspired her winning artwork “My homeland”, pictured below.
Donella has always dreamed of holding an art exhibition overseas. “Winning the art competition award helps me move forward toward the art exhibition in France next year”, she says. Specifically, she will spend the prize money buying new canvases, paints and other materials so that she is able to create new artworks to exhibit. Although Donella previously participated in other NSW state-wide Indigenous arts competitions, winning the Jobfind art competition award is “a major achievement” for her.
2014 Jobfind Calenda
Running the annual Calendar Art Competition is part of Jobfind’s commitment to supporting Indigenous job seekers achieve their aspirations and employment goals. “Jobfind has always provided me with ongoing support and direction to further my goal of turning my passion into a career pursuit,” Donella says.
“Jobfind has always made me feel welcome and I really appreciate how friendly and caring all the staff is,” she also goes on to say.
