Artists in a remote Indigenous community in far north Queensland are going from strength to strength, this year selling more work to tourists than ever before.
The Bana Yirriji Art and Cultural Centre at Wujal Wujal, north of the Daintree Rainforest, includes an exhibition space and studio.
Arts centre manager Vikki Burrows said their peak tourist season was from May to September, with visitors virtually stopping around now over the wet season.
"We probably have thousands of tourists coming through, a lot of buses, a lot of local traffic, a lot of people going up the Cape," she said.
"We're getting recognised a bit and the emerging artist are getting more skilled so we're selling more and more each time."
Around 24 artists work from the arts centre, in a variety of media including paints, ochre, and jewellery.
"Just recently we've got into a lot of textiles, with our silk paintings ... we've been in a few fashion shows," Ms Burrows said.
Inspiration from local wildlife
Artist Ruby Winkle has been painting at the centre for around a year, and follows in the footsteps of her father, who is also an artist.
She, along with many of the artists, draws inspiration from the land and sea around them.
"I like painting the animals, mainly freshwater, especially the animals that live in the rainforest"
"When I've got nothing to do that's what I do, paint or sketch."
Ochre collected from environment
Clarence Ball is one of a small number of male artists that work in the centre, and primarily works with ochre.
"We collect the rocks from the rainforest, riverside … then we just come and smash it up, in all different colours."
"The girls only do painting with the normal paints, and the boys only use ochres."
"You get red ochre, white ochre, black ochre, a blue sort of ochre, and yellows, all different colours."
The sale of art at the centre is a significant source of income for the artists, providing ongoing employment.
