A Celebration of Cultures by Debra Beale

Look up at our street banners and you might see the Sydney Lunar Festival banner galleries celebrating the Year of the Snake.

Debra Beale’s artwork, ‘A Celebration of Cultures’ draws inspiration from the artist’s Aboriginal and Chinese cultural heritage and celebrates the year of the Wood Snake. These designs represent a connection to Country and 2 cultures living in the Sydney area.

The elements of wood, water, fire and earth from the Chinese zodiac are also significant to Aboriginal cultures as they’re part of survival. The element of gold (metal) connects the artist to her Chinese heritage through her great-great-grandfather Samuel Suey who migrated to Australia.

In Aboriginal cultures, the snake represents Baiame, the creator god and sky father in the Dreaming of several Aboriginal nations including the Eora, Wonnarua, Gamilaroi, Guringay, Darkinjung and Wiradjuri. The serpent is linked to land, water, life, social relationships and fertility.

About the artist

Debra Beale is a Palawa, Boonwurrung, Yorta Yorta, Wiradjuri, Gamilaroi, Wonnarua woman living on Darug Country in the Blue Mountains. She is an Aboriginal designer and maker enrolled in Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) at UNSW.

Passionate about bringing her Aboriginal art and culture to life, Debra uses contemporary media to present traditional themes through fashion and home textiles, jewellery, painting, sculpture, photography, ceramics, pottery, mixed media, digital art and public art.