Australian Aboriginal Art Exhibit In Nashville, TN
Featuring works of Joanne Reid 
August 13, 2004
From prestigious art showings at Sydney’s Parliament House to Nashville’s Centennial Park. Australian Aboriginal Artist, Joanne Reid, is bringing a selection of her artwork to Nashville as part of the Australian Festival from September 9 – 12, 2004 .  Joanne was born into the Wiradjuri tribe located in the Lake Cargelligo region of New South Wales ,Australia. As a young girl, Joanne experienced life growing up in outback towns such as Gilgandra, Millthorpe, Blayney in New South Wales. Throughout her childhood years, her first love was sport. The passion to express herself through Aboriginal art developed as she matured.

Joanne feels that being raised in an environment where great emphasis was placed on good family principles; respecting elders, loving one another and living a good christian life, has helped her to uniquely portray concepts from both western and aboriginal cultures. She now lives with her children Joshua, Simone, Hezekiah, Naomi and Hannah in Orange, a major country center in New South Wales. 
Joanne teaches art at the Technical & Further Education College and Sydney University in Orange, balancing a busy lifestyle caring for her children, teaching, painting, sculpting and exhibiting her artworks around Australia.

Her achievement in winning numerous Awards for her paintings is all the more remarkable in view of the fact that she was completely self taught. Her ability to incorporate both traditional Aboriginal and European art forms is gaining her notoriety throughout Australia .  

As well as reflecting her experiences growing up as an Aboriginal in a European world, Joanne also gains inspiration for her art from the beautiful landscape and nature around Orange; the Weeping Willow, Gum and Wattle trees to name a few, as well as Aboriginal symbols which have many meanings. The most common animals depicted in her presentations are the wombat, platypus and echidna and birds such as the laughing kookaburra and galah. 

Her most recent project, partly funded by Orange City Council, is a 239 feet long Platypus containing a skate board run at Gosling Creek Park in Orange . 

Appreciation for Joanne’s artwork is growing and her works are becoming much sort after by individuals, art galleries and government officials. Her most famous piece, “Reconciliation” hangs on Reconciliation Wall in the New South Wales Parliament House in Sydney . Joanne has exhibited at prestigous venues such as the Country Embassy in Sydney , hosted by Peter Croft, Chief Executive Officer of the Parkes-Forbes Business Enterprise Center and supported by the Department of State and Regional Development and Parliamentary Secretary for Aboriginal Affairs, Colin Markham M.P. This event was officially opened by the Minister for Small Business, Ms. Sandra Nori MP, who gave special recognition to Joanne for her “talent and drive to succeed”. Joanne Reid’s artworks have also been purchased by government bodies such as the Orange Court House, Attorney Generals Department, Department of Education and Training and Department of Housing. The Honorable Peter Andren, Member of Parliament for Calare, commissioned Joanne to produce a $6,000 piece of artwork for his official offices. Joanne has assigned copyright to a number of her artworks to bodies such as the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists for use in video, film and other promotional materials.

The NSW Department of Education and Training have purchased Joanne’s work “Lizards” for reproduction and use in their brochures promoting the Elsa Dixon Aboriginal Employment Program for 2002. Elsa Dixon (1925-1991) was an extraordinary Aboriginal woman who played a key role in improving social outcomes for Aboriginal people in NSW, caring for people out of her own money. She was the first Aboriginal woman to obtain a Pilots License in the 1940’s and was one of the original founders of the Foundation for Aboriginal Affairs and the Aboriginal Medical Service at Redfern in Sydney. Joanne Reid holds a Confirmation of Aboriginality from the Orange Local Aboriginal Land Council under the seal of the Aboriginal Land Rights Registrar. This certificate identifies and confirms Joanne as a legitimate person of Australian Aboriginality and descent.

Each piece of artwork bears a Label of Authenticity or Collaboration Mark; trademark registered to the National Indigenous Arts Advocacy Association of Australia (NIAAA), which authenticates Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander art and cultural products and services. 

Joanne’s work will be featured at the Australian Festival: 
September 9              Preview at Holiday Inn Select, West End Avenue  2-3pm
September 10, 11, 12 Arts & Craft Center , Centennial Park , West End Avenue 10-5:00 p.m.

$3.00 Donations are requested to assist with expenses at the Arts & Crafts Center.