MY STORY
Ondra Challinger (Wallace)
My father was from Geraldton WA, Yamitji Nation, his family name was Wallace.
My grandfather passed away when dad was only 3 years old.
Dad’s mum remarried Arty Challinger and he adopted my dad and this is where Challinger became our name.
Dad joined the army very young and it was then that he found out that he was adopted. Dad then started looking into his birth family and found out his dad was of Aboriginal decent.
After my brother was born we moved to Sydney to be near mum’s family and mum knew we would have the support and love around us there that we all needed.
We have lived in NSW for most of my life, my mum was born in Crookwell NSW and her family came from around Yass region, Wiradjuri Nation.
I started painting later in life and learnt different techniques in Art Classes taught by Danielle Mate Sullivan, who also encouraged me to draw on my inspiration from within and let the spirits from my ancestors guide me.
Art takes me on journey through life. I am always exploring new techniques and love how we can tell our stories and thoughts through art.
I have travelled many different paths throughout my life and I try to express that through my paintings and sometimes it looks a little confusing but that is how life is.
My painting of Purple Moon shows the battle in my head from my Ancestors, I am drawn to the water, just standing near the water watching the waves or the stillness, listening, imagining the turtles moving around in there and then there is a calmness that goes through my body.
I also have a great love of the land and I am drawn to trees. Trees hold the messages from the land, when you really look at them you can see the ages build up and imagine the stories those trees hold. The trees roots are deep in the land just like our Blood Lines. We all belong to this land.
I traditionally use Dot Art for my paintings, Dot Art is used in both Yamitji and Wiradjuri Nation Paintings with some similarities. Painting takes me on a journey and sometimes the messages from my Ancestors take over and things get pretty confusing
I am still battling where I belong and have realised my blood lines are both through water and land, there is a saying called “Bird and Fish” where they meet at the land and I feel this is me, we can always meet in the middle some where along our journey through life.
I have a beautiful daughter Sarah, whom I raised and have passed on all my learnings about our Culture and Art, we both love to paint telling our stories.
Sarah now has her own daughter, my granddaughter. I live my life in awe of my two girls and love every minute.
Live and enjoy every day in wonder of what this great land has to offer.
Ondra Challinger (Wallace)
My father was from Geraldton WA, Yamitji Nation, his family name was Wallace.
My grandfather passed away when dad was only 3 years old.
Dad’s mum remarried Arty Challinger and he adopted my dad and this is where Challinger became our name.
Dad joined the army very young and it was then that he found out that he was adopted. Dad then started looking into his birth family and found out his dad was of Aboriginal decent.
After my brother was born we moved to Sydney to be near mum’s family and mum knew we would have the support and love around us there that we all needed.
We have lived in NSW for most of my life, my mum was born in Crookwell NSW and her family came from around Yass region, Wiradjuri Nation.
I started painting later in life and learnt different techniques in Art Classes taught by Danielle Mate Sullivan, who also encouraged me to draw on my inspiration from within and let the spirits from my ancestors guide me.
Art takes me on journey through life. I am always exploring new techniques and love how we can tell our stories and thoughts through art.
I have travelled many different paths throughout my life and I try to express that through my paintings and sometimes it looks a little confusing but that is how life is.
My painting of Purple Moon shows the battle in my head from my Ancestors, I am drawn to the water, just standing near the water watching the waves or the stillness, listening, imagining the turtles moving around in there and then there is a calmness that goes through my body.
I also have a great love of the land and I am drawn to trees. Trees hold the messages from the land, when you really look at them you can see the ages build up and imagine the stories those trees hold. The trees roots are deep in the land just like our Blood Lines. We all belong to this land.
I traditionally use Dot Art for my paintings, Dot Art is used in both Yamitji and Wiradjuri Nation Paintings with some similarities. Painting takes me on a journey and sometimes the messages from my Ancestors take over and things get pretty confusing
I am still battling where I belong and have realised my blood lines are both through water and land, there is a saying called “Bird and Fish” where they meet at the land and I feel this is me, we can always meet in the middle some where along our journey through life.
I have a beautiful daughter Sarah, whom I raised and have passed on all my learnings about our Culture and Art, we both love to paint telling our stories.
Sarah now has her own daughter, my granddaughter. I live my life in awe of my two girls and love every minute.
Live and enjoy every day in wonder of what this great land has to offer.
Ondra Challinger (Wallace)