About: First Nations Art Residency
The First Nations Art Residency is a dedicated space to explore new ideas and expand creative practice within a host organisation. First Nations artists are residents over a 3-month period as currently hosted by the Koling wada-ngal Aboriginal Corporation at the Wunggurrwil Dhurrung Centre on Waddawurrung Country.
This residency is designed to support the development of an idea or creative process, with a strong focus on place and site. This is the main purpose of the residency. The residency otherwise will has a low-key outcome, as negotiated by the artist, This is often an artist talk, sharing of practice, or workshop for example.
Artwork by Peter Waples Crowe titled Affirm
Current Artists
TARSHA DAVIS (Multidisciplinary artist) Wunggurrwil Dhurrung Centre
Tarsha Davis is a Kuku Yalanji and Palawa multidisciplinary artist working across painting, digital art, weaving, jewellery, and textiles. Her practice is grounded in story and explores relationships between identity, place, and making. Using both traditional and contemporary techniques, she creates bold, layered narratives.
Alongside her creative work, Tarsha has contributed to the arts, community, and justice sectors, delivering and managing programs that support wellbeing and access to services. This extends into her design practice, with commissioned works licensed for Our Watch’s Reconciliation Action Plan, Ovarian Cancer Australia branding, the Write Yes campaign and First Nations Justice Team branding at GetUp!
Her work has been exhibited at Linden New Art, Koorie Heritage Trust, and Aboriginal Exhibitions Rutherglen, with pieces held in private and public collections. She was awarded the RMIT Emerging Artist Award (11th Koorie Art Show) and selected for the 2024 Blak Design Program, continuing to refine her practice at the intersection of art, design, sustainability, and advocacy.
Tarsha is interested in how materials hold meaning and memory—how they are transformed, reused, or discarded. As her practice evolves, she is exploring how sustainability and storytelling can shift perspectives on consumption and value.
Website: www.tarshadavis.com.au
Portfolio: https://tarsharosina87.myportfolio.com/work
Instagram: @tarsha_davis_
Previous Artists
TAMAY BEAM (Multidisciplinary artist) Wunggurrwil Dhurrung Centre
Tamay Beam is an Aboriginal Minjungbal woman from Booningbah, Fingal NSW of the Bundjalung Nation; Saltwater Coastal traditional landowners.
Tamay is a multidisciplinary artist and has been practicing various art forms and her Cultural Aboriginal Art for over 10 years both on a progressional and personal scale. Tamay Beam Art has artwork and products available in several galleries and stores across NSW, QLD and VIC, PLUS designs on fabric in SPOTLIGHT Stores across Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and New Zealand.
Tamay Beam Art consists of Contemporary Aboriginal Artworks and products; all designs and artworks created by Tamay Beam. Tamay Beam Art is 100% proudly Aboriginal owned and operated.
For any information about the First Nations Art Residency cContact First Nations Creative Arts Officer steven.rhall@wyndham.vic.gov.au