My name is Glenda Power, I was born Glenda Paul one of eleven children to Horace and Muriel Paul. I grew up in the small coastal town of Bowen, North Queensland. It was here that I began my cultural studies and became interested in my mothers Indigenous background, not that my fathers background of “Vanuatu” was any less interesting, it was just more accessible.

Growing up, my father told us many stories of his childhood and his fathers island history but my mother never spoke of her cultural upbringing. It wasn't until my older sister started teaching cultural studies at our local TAFE College that I saw the opportunity to learn about Indigenous culture. I was never really interested in painting until I began an Aboriginal art class, it was here that I found myself drawn to my culture's art form but I still wasn't comfortable enough about my indigenous style to use the dots and strokes necessary to give the painting their meaning.

It wasn't until 2 years after that, my husband and I had moved south and in doing so I met 2 Aboriginal Artist and an elder who worked as a Professional Artist, painting some of the most beautiful Aboriginal Art I had ever seen. Impressed by their wonderful artwork and how quick they produced them, they inspired me to learn my Cultures art form. Something I had been meaning to do since my studies.

Amazed by their paintings, these guys took time out to teach me their ways in holding a brush, mixing colours and the meanings and feelings that go into their paintings. I spent 3 wonderful years learning from these guys and my gratitude goes out to them for their patience in teaching me and helping me find my own style of expressing my beliefs and feelings through the use of my paintings.

I have been painting for 10 years now.

Thank you, Guys.