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Welcome to the Information Page for the Dalung Creations website, www.dalung.com where indigenous Australian Aboriginal artist Susanne Graham tells you about her Art and Handcraft.
Artist Susanne Graham has studied Aboriginal Art and Design at the East Gippsland College of TAFE and has completed several Diploma courses at Bairnsdale School of Art. She also has an Advanced Diploma of Business Management with the University of Ballarat along with other qualifications.
Susanne is interested in achieving a synthesis of European styles with Australian Aboriginal indigenous arts and crafts, both traditional and modern.
Susanne is a descendant of the Dalungbara/Butchulla tribe of Kgari (Fraser Island Queensland). She lives in Childers near the Fraser Coast.
Dalung is the name that the Dalungbara people of Fraser Island (Kgari) gave to the shell which they gathered and traded.
They crafted these shells into pendants, and made neck pieces from shells, seeds and grasses to decorate themselves.
Susanne's beadwork is influenced not only by the colours of Australian Aboriginal flag, but also by the coloured sands of Fraser Island which Susanne's people called Kgari (top left).
Traditionally, coral is used to make pendants and necklaces. Black coral (middle right) depicts the black sands, rock, and people of Kgari.
Quandongs (lower left) were picked by women and children, crushed to a paste and oil extracted. The flesh was eaten fresh or dried. Susanne has used the quandong seeds in her beadwork.
Leaf beads and daggers reflect the bush leaf, natural ochres, and blue waters of our land.
The Aboriginal flag was designed in 1972 by Harold Thomas. Black represents the Aboriginal people, yellow the sun that shines over our great country, red the desert sands and the spilt blood of the Aboriginal people. Black, red, and yellow beads reflect the First Australians' colours.
Included with each necklace...
Each necklace is individually crafted and is unique. Susanne uses only new materials and clasps of high quality. The stones are made from the world's finest glass. Each necklace comes well presented in a Dalung Creations box with matching earrings. The box is covered in a lovely black leather-look with gold trim. The interior has plush white lining.