Panel Discussion: Creative Sovereignty & Legacies

Georgia Mokak is a Djugun person from Broome, in the West Kimberley. They are grateful to have grown up on Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country, Larrakia Country and to be treading lightly on Wangal and Gadigal Country.  Georgia’s area of interest and research is in First Nations led storytelling, collective practice, memory and care.

Shannon Clohessy is a Wadandi saltwater woman from the South West of Western Australia, whose art celebrates the interconnectedness of culture, environment, and family. Inspired by her coastal upbringing, her work reflects the beauty and resilience of Country, drawing on the fluidity and transparency of glass to capture the essence of water and the ocean.

Trained in glassblowing and lampworking, Shannon incorporates intricate patterns and symbols that honour her cultural heritage and evoke dialogue about our relationship with the natural world. Her art is a celebration of connection, weaving together themes of clarity, fragility, and resilience to inspire reflection and unity.

Shannon’s journey has been shaped by the guidance of skilled mentors and the unwavering support of her close-knit family, who remain central to her creative process. Through her practice, she shares stories that highlight the enduring ties between people, land, and sea.

Charmaine Green is a proud Wajarri, Badimaya and Wilunyu woman of the Yamaji Nation. A visual artist, author, poet, storyteller and social science researcher, she shares her cultural knowledge in many different spheres.  Charmaine has written five books, won several awards including the prestigious Australian Literary Society Gold Medal, and her poetry is studied as part of primary and school curriculum.

Involved with the Yamaji Art Centre in Geraldton for over 22 years, she is currently their Chairperson, her visual art mediums include 2D acrylic paintings, multimedia collages and print making. Charmaine was awarded the 2022 Magabala Fellowship 2022 and 2023 Red Room Poetry Fellowship and is a member of the national First Nation Aboriginal Writers Network. Charmaine lives with her family in Geraldton, WA.

Emily Rose is a mother, visionary and fourth-generation Noongar/Yamatji artist. She’s committed to fostering generational change, promoting unity, and creating beautiful things for the benefit of those that lie forever in her heart of hearts – her children. An award-winning, multi-disciplinary artist, Emily’s work spans oil painting, weaving, and ephemeral art – for now – exploring themes of memory, natural order, and the interwoven narratives of Country.

Her art exists at the intersection of tradition and innovation, paying homage to cultural knowledge while expanding the horizons of contemporary Indigenous art. Continuing a legacy where hands have woven, painted, and carved stories, Emily’s work celebrates her ancestors’ resilience but more importantly, through her own lived experiences she strives to build a transformed future for her daughter and beyond.