BAGS + BAGS
ALPERSTEIN DESIGNS | Judy Watson Drawstring Bag
DBAG WAJU
Regular price $25.95‘I listen and hear those words a hundred years away
That is my Grandmother’s Mother’s Country
it seeps down through blood and memory and soaks
into the ground’
Judy Watson
Established in 1985, Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation is a not-for-profit organisation that is 100% Aboriginal-owned by its artists from the remote desert communities of Yuendumu and Nyirripi in Central Australia.
Made in Australia, this 100% cotton drawsting bag features the incredible artwork by Judy Watson reproduced under license from Warlukurlangu Artists in the Northern Territory.
A lightweight bag for when you're walking the dog, doing a local bread and milk run up at the shops, or just because you love Judy's amazing colours and design.
Artwork/placement varies between bag so each design is unique and may vary from image shown.
More about the artist:
It was this design that I saw hanging from a small gift store in the Northern New South Wales town of Brunswick Heads. It appealed to me so much and led me to Alperstein Designs and their collaboration with indigenous artists, something I had been searching for. Judy's work is eye-catching, the colours and shapes mesmerising,
Judy Watson has described her experiences of travelling to her great-grandmother’s country in north-west Queensland, as ‘learning from the ground up’. It is a philosophy she has transplanted on her several journeys and residencies abroad. A distinguished artist, Judy represented Australia at the 1997 Venice Biennale,
Watson’s matrilineal link to the country of her ancestors has always been central to her printmaking and painting. The hidden histories of Indigenous experience on the colonial frontier – particularly those of women – continue to inspire her. Watson seeks the indelible impressions of past presence on the landscape – rubbings, engravings and incisions – and subtly inscribes them upon her work.
Through her art, Watson repatriates the human artefacts and objects of collected cultures in museum storehouses, and reveals the ‘skeletons’ in colonial ‘closets’:
This magnificent artist interview by the Tate Gallery gives us an insight into Judy's work and inspiration. Along with her pieces, Judy's journey into understanding her grandmother's and great grandmother's stories, also helps us to confront Aboriginal history in this country. Watch out for Judy's mum Joyce. She's a national treasure!
ALPERSTEIN DESIGNS | Sheryl J Burchill RAINFOREST Drawstring Bag
DBAG SBRF
Regular price $25.95This lightweight and practical 100% cotton drawstring bag feature the incredible artwork based on 'Madja' (Rainforest) from the Wurarr-wurrarr (Dragonfly) Collection by Sheryl J Burchill.
This design really stands out and evokes the user to consider what the motifs mean. At Fora, we feel privileged to share such designs and we hope that the stories behind them inspire and inform you too.
Artist Sheryl J Burchill counts being able to share all she has learned about her culture through her art as a blessing. She aims to inform her knowledge then use her understanding of Kuku Yalanji culture of Mossman - traditional stories and lifestyle – to express her ideas in a contemporary way.
Each drawstring bag is unique and the print placement varies from bag to bag. Included is information about the artist and artwork (swing tag). They are Made in Australia and royalties go directly back to the artist.
Dimensions (Approx):
Bag: 30cm x 45cm.
More about Sheryl J Burchill:
The stories passed down to Sheryl by her mother and grandparents, in tandem with the landscape and the environment inspires Sheryl's artwork. Connection with her culture and the sense of knowing where she comes from, keeps her grounded and take on life's challenges.
Kuku Yalanji Name: Walbul-walbul (Butterfly)
Language Group: Kuku Yalanji & Kuku Nyungkal
Traditional Lands: Mossman, Daintree, Shipton’s Flat, China Camp - North Queensland, Australia.
Learn more about Australia's true rainforest people, the Kuku Yalanji people, here
ALPERSTEIN DESIGNS | Daisy Moss Drawstring Bag
DBAG SBRF
Regular price $25.95
Sometimes we don't want to be laden with a heavy or sweaty leather bag or backpack. This lightweight drawstring bag is perfect for those times.
Made in Australia, this 100% drawstring bag features the incredible artwork of Daisy Moss reproduced under license from the Artists of Ampilatwatja, pronounced um-bludder-witch).
Australia's diverse flora and natural settings provide a canvas of stunning colours. The work is recognisably distinct from those of artists of other Aboriginal communities. The land is often depicted in bright, figurative motifs and the dots are used are very fine.
The Artists of Ampilatwatja community was established in 1999 near Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.
Artwork/placement varies between bags so each design is unique and may vary from image shown.
Dimensions: 30cm x 45 cm.
Made in Australia
More about the artist Daisy Moss:
ALPERSTEIN DESIGNS | Watson Robertson Drawstring Bag
DBAG WROB
Regular price $25.95Sometimes we want a lightweight bag to take on errands. Ditching the sweaty leather, synthetic or man-made material for 100% cotton is an easy decision when you have designs featuring works by some of Australia's talented artists such as First Nations artist Watson Robertson.
Watson Jangala Robertson was born into a family of established Warlpiri artists and grew up in the Yuendumu community, located 290 km north-west of Alice Springs. His family would take him out bush, around Nyirripi and Yuendumu, showing him sites and teaching him the traditional ways of his country.
Watson doesn't restrict his colour palette to depict his traditional iconography so he has developed a modern individual style, using bold designs in many ways.
Just as he was taught growing up, he often spends time hunting for food and bush tucker with family and friends, hunting for food such as goanna, kangaroo, snake, and witchetty grubs as well as bush tucker, such as native currants, bush potato and bush banana.
Established in 1985, Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation is an Aboriginal owned and governed art centre located in Yuendumu and Nyirripi. Watson began to paint with the corporation in 2016.
As shown, Watson paints his Mother’s Watiya-warnu Jukurrpa (Seed Dreaming - top) and his grandfather’s Ngapa Jukurrpa – Puyurru (Water Dreaming - bottom), stories passed down to him through the many generations such as creation stories that relate to his family’s traditional country.
These traditions stretch back for millennia.
Each Watson Robertson drawstring bag has a unique print placement so each will differ slightly from the image shown. Information about Watson Robertson is included with the artwork.
ALPERSTEIN DESIGNS | Alana Ngwarraye Holmes Tote Bag
TOTC AALA
Regular price $32.95
“This is my country. I paint because I enjoy painting. My Mother, Edie Holmes let us paint with her when we were young and now we paint all the time. We still paint and talk together in a family group with our kids.” – Alana Holmes
Imagine carrying this beautiful tote bag and sparking inspiration and conversation everywhere you guy. You can't but love this design based on the amazing painting of Alana Holmes with its story and connection to country.
The community of Ampilatwatja made a conscious decision not to paint altyerr dreaming stories. The artists paint their country where those stories sit.
Alana has painted her country after rain where the ground may seem dry but the flowers and trees are green and growing strong.
Alana's mother Edie Holmes is a well known artist of Ampilatwatja, who taught Alana how to paint when she was a young child.
Like many mums, Alana is extremely busy with four children to look after and though she loves to paint she does not get the time to paint like she used to.
Cotton Tote Bag
All over Print.
Print placement will vary between bags and from image shown.
Made in Australia
Dimensions (Approx):
Bag: 40cm x 40cm.
Base Gusset: 16cm
Handles: 60cm
Based on the artwork by Alana Holmes.
Includes information about the artist and artwork.
ALPERSTEIN DESIGNS | Nora Davidson Tote Bag
2518163628
Regular price $32.95Here at Fora, we celebrate nature and the myriad of colours it embues.
Nora Davidson's artwork is proudly colourful and bold. Using this lightweight and well-sixed tote bag will have you mesmerised by the shimmering planes of colour, rich hues, light effects and her delicate dotwork.
Nora's works are inspired by the stories of her country which were passed down to her by elders in her community. Most of Nora's body of work explores and reflects her love of the themes of her country, Illurrpa, her ancestor's way of life and her own traditional bush upbringing.
Through Nora's skill, technique and deep understanding of the medium she allows the us profound insight into her family's heritage as well as an education and knowledge of the land.
Nora Davidson was born in 1955 in Multju near the community of Jameson where her family are the custodians of the story for the area of Illurrpa. Nora was brought up in a traditional bush life and is a proud speaker of Ngaanyatjarra language.
She currently lives with her family in the Papulankutja Community (Blackstone), a remote Aboriginal Community, located at the foothills of the Blackstone Ranges in the Ngaanyatjarra Lands, Western Australia.
Papulankutja Artists evolved out of the Women’s Centre where painting has been encouraged as an activity since 2001. Once registered as an Aboriginal Corporation in 2004 the artists were now able to govern their art centre independently.
In 2009 Papulankutja Artists moved into a purpose built art centre with rooms for men and women to paint. As well as their paintings Papulankutja Artists are known for their innovative fibre work and carvings from local wood.
Cotton Tote Bag
All over Print.
Print placement will vary between bags and from image shown.
Made in Australia
Dimensions (Approx):
Bag: 40cm x 40cm.
Base Gusset: 16cm
Handles: 60cm
Based on artwork by Nora Davidson from Papulankutja Artists located at Blackstone, Western Australia.
Includes information about the artist and artwork.
