Joanna Tucker, Yorke Peninsula Country Times

Local artist and past winner of an Our Mob exhibition award Cedric Varcoe has been sharing his culture through creative avenues for decades, and you may have already seen examples of his work.

Mr Varcoe, who grew up at Point Pearce, has been painting since he was a child, inspired by his family, the stories of the Narungga and Ngarrindjeri people and the those told to him by his grandfather and Elders.

Being a contemporary artist, Mr Varcoe mainly uses acrylics on canvas to convey the narratives of his culture.

One artwork that is now displayed in St Mary MacKillop School, Wallaroo, was created with the support of students to share the connection between the Narungga people to their lands.

“(The artwork tells) the story of Narungga Country and how in the Dreamtime our ancestors created life, country, culture and resources on Country for our Narungga people,” Mr Varcoe said.

The piece depicts the four clans of the Narungga people living throughout the Yorke Peninsula, and how the dreaming sites are still visible today.

“Our fish traps in our waters, our waterholes and more are proudly displayed through the artwork at the school today,” Mr Varcoe said.

Mr Varcoe has won various awards over his career, exhibiting his works since 1997 with various murals in schools across Yorke Peninsula and some artwork in Parliament House.

In 2008, Mr Varcoe completed a mural in one of the cells at Port Pirie Police Station hoping to inspire young people to have a better outlook on life, and he has been told it’s the most askedfor cell.

In 2023, Mr Varcoe won the Country Arts SA Regional Our Mob professional development award through the Our Mob art exhibition.

Entries are now being accepted for the 2024 Our Mob exhibition, to be held from August 3 to October 12.

This year’s awards include the $5000 Don Dunstan Foundation Our Mob emerging artist prize and the $2000 Trevor Nickolls Art Prize.

Details: adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au/festivals-programs/our-mob.

This article appeared in Yorke Peninsula Country Times, 7 May 2024.