“Beyond the Dreaming” is a title chosen by the artists. Each of them sees the development of their contemporary art practice, as a reflection of stories from their ancestry and daily lives.

Arone Meeks’s latest works confirm his place as a leading contemporary artist in Australia. From his home in Cairns, he now creates works of art that speak to us of cross cultural interaction, relationships, gender, traditional and modern spirituality and his environment. In the words of Geoff Dixon, “Arone intuitively inhabits a world in a state of flux where his imagery through the layers of the collective unconscious, traditional Aboriginal history, and modern history converging into his own invented visual dictionary of symbols and meaning”. His extensive accomplishments achieved in study, residencies, commissions, community arts, and public art, certainly attribute to an outstanding career to date, which will only continue to grow given his passion and determination. While the works in this exhibition are testament to his skills and talents as a painter, sculptor, and printmaker, it is his wonderful sense for colour and design that allows his work to shine.

Jenuarrie, an active member in Indigenous arts, is a painter, potter, printmaker, and creative jewelry maker. She has been an active executive committee member and worker for various prominent visual arts boards and organizations in Australia. Her work is well known and respected as a leading contemporary, to all in the Indigenous arts community and in the art world as a whole. She describes her work as always having strong links and respect for the land and its original peoples, which has been heavily influenced by the rediscovery of her cultural heritage. The contemporary interpretations in the work produced from these links, senses and connections, has given her the impetus to create concepts that she feels is a natural progression evolving from a traditional style of work that pays tribute to her ancestors.

Colleen Wall’s first achievement was winning the Bicentennial Prize – Australia 200, in the Mt Isa Art Society Exhibition, in 1988, and in 1990, her work “Foot in Both Camps” was purchased by the Queensland Art Gallery. Her work focuses on her traditional country, the Kabi Nation (which extends from Maryborough, west to the Coastal Range below Biggenden, then south to Goomeri’s Kinbombi Range and east to the coast below Noosa. Her pieces combine stories of creation, prominent people or spirits of her ancestral country, and is endorsed by her immediate Elders in accordance with Traditional customs and new Legislations. They tell stories of boundaries, gateways, dreaming trails, sacred and significant areas and camp sites, those activities that have created the land and the extent of travel and place for her people.