Art to calm the heart

 On the most nerve-wracking day of The Block, artist Brad Turner sends some positive energy for The Blockheads.

WHEN the 2020 Block auction kicked off, most eyes were on the nervous contestants – or the even more nervous host Scott Cam – as the bids came in.

But also catching attention was the artworks behind Scotty in the auction room, original pieces from Indigenous artist Brad Turner created with a very special mission – to bring a little calm and positive energy to a very frantic day.

“The paintings all have their own names and stories,” Turner says, “and what links them is that they are all about lifting the spirit and helping create a positive energy.”

Nyunga, says Turner, is taken from the Yugambeh word for the sun and which gives off light and love and gives people the power to rise to meet challenges.

Nyunga Talgun, he adds, references the story of the ‘Sun Woman’ who lights a fire each morning which is seen as the dawning of a new day;

Chalahn Yilgahn is a feminine representation of the Rainbow Serpent, the original creator, the mother.

Wollumbin is a representation of the mountain ranges which are a place of great spiritual significance to the Bundjalung People, while

Bundjalung Jaya explores the idea that ‘country’ does not just mean the physical aspects of the land but includes all living things such as its people, plants and animals.

Bugeram Chalun, Turner says means “Sacred Ground”, the locations throughout Australia where elders past, present and future meet to pass on the spiritual heritage of the oldest living culture.  

What links these artworks "is that they are all about lifting the spirit and helping create positive energy," Brad tells The Block Shop about the special mini's created for Block auction day. 

“They’re all bringing a lot of positive energy and positive messages just what I felt was needed for the day!”

Creating that positive connection is a big part of Turner’s work and are important for the artist who only relatively recently began painting again after a long break.

A Bundjalung man with connections in the northern NSW area, Turner said he had first started creating art with his grandfather as a child, but had stopped.

“I spent lots of time drawing with my grandfather when I was growing up,” Turner said, “but I had just drifted away.

“Then about 12 months ago my daughter who is just turned ten said she was really interested in learning about our culture and our heritage so just as a way of connecting we both started painting together.

“At first it was about her learning more about the symbols and what they mean, but it’s just been an amazing ride since.”

Immediately drawn back to the symbols and meaning he had learned so long ago, Turner began painting for those who wanted to connect with Australia, often creating bespoke pieces to their needs.

Ideally, the artist says, he likes to meet with people who want a unique piece of art for their home, to learn their story and finding out what will suit them.

“If I can, I like to do a face to face meeting with people to hear their story,” the artist says.

“You just get a feeling from people when they're speaking about what they are like and what artwork would be best.”

“I like to find that special connection that I can then paint.”

Brad created these incredible mini artworks to bring a little calm and positive energy to a very frantic Block auction day. 

Using a colour palette that reflects Australia and with Australian Indigenous culture at it’s heart, Turner’s works are a contemporary take on the traditional and an acknowledgement of the land where we live as well as beautiful art.

“What I found is a lot of Australians do want this art in their house because they want that story and that connection to our country and our culture,” Turner says.

“I think it’s really cool that people want to acknowledge the lands where they live whether they have indigenous background or not.”

Shop Brad's incredible art and range of mini's available exclusively to the Block Shop HERE