Beaconsfield: Over 150 people create giant community dot painting

PAINTING to bring people together and protect the Australian Outback was what Indigenous artist Grace Comeagain wanted to achieve.

Over 150 people created a giant community dot painting at the Grower’s Green Farmer’s Market in Beaconsfield to support ‘Create Ranger Parks’.

Miss Comeagain is a Yamatji Wongi woman and said it was the first community painting that she had completed.

“I’ll be doing more of these paintings during Naidoc week and with school groups,” she said.

“The painting shows people gathering in the ranger parks amongst the animals and the wildflowers.

“The painting shows the tracks of many different animals – kangaroos, emus, snakes and lizards.”

The artist designed and sketched the painting outline and members of the public participated by painting the dots under the artist’s guidance.

Coolbellup resident Renae Boyd said it was a unique experience to take part in the community dot painting.

“I felt very lucky to be able to participate in an artwork supporting such an exciting initiative,” she said.

“The painting is a show of support from people like myself who want to see ranger parks become a reality.

“It is such a positive initiative to have Indigenous rangers on country managing new National Parks.”

Create Ranger Parks spokeswoman and Fremantle resident Suzannah Macbeth said the painting event was a success.

“The painting was a fun way to bring Create Ranger Parks supporters together to show their support and to talk about protecting our amazing Outback and enabling more Indigenous rangers to care for country,” she said.