Julianne Wade

Whadjuk/Tainui Indigenous Artist

The name of Whadjuk artist comes from when I first stepped out as an emerging artist, when I started out doing community collective canvas workshops, everyone who contacted me for a workshop would ask if I were the Whadjuk Artist and I would simply reply yes, the name Whadjuk means Perth in my home language of Nyungar. So Whadjuk artist is another name for Perth Artist.

Julianne is a Whadjuk Perth born artist on her Mother’s side, who grew up in New Zealand in Ngaruawahia Tainui with her Father’s side. She is a visual artist and remains connected to her culture through painting and family and community connections through the West Australian Aboriginal Leadership Institute, she has a passion for making a change through art for indigenous and non-indigenous people. Her purpose is to highlight that all land is a traditional country which our ancestors have practised culture on for thousands of years and share knowledge about the Dreamtime stories of the land. In her collective canvas workshops and public art are a contemporary continuation of traditional culture and knowledge.

Whadjuk artist was officially started when being accepted for the WA Revealed Emerging Artist exhibition in Fremantle 2020.

Julianne has had and continues to have involvements with her community and with children and families in schools especially since coming from an Education background prior.

Julianne is deeply passionate about her work with the community and feels privileged to be able to share her knowledge and culture through art and encourage conversations around current issues Aboriginal people face as well as the next step forward.

My inspiration is drawn from time spent in the country (boodja) and the observation that enlightens my pathways. I mainly work with Acrylics on canvas and natural ochres. I like to continue to explore different mediums, so my work is ever-evolving.