Living on Minjerribah North Stradbroke Island, Delvene Cockatoo-Collins is a Nunukul, Ngugi and Goenpul woman of Quandamooka Country. Currently undertaking a PhD in Indigenous Perspectives at Batchelor Institute, Delvene recently took some time out from working on her final exhibition pieces to talk about what inspires her art and her experiences studying at Batchelor Institute.
Can you tell me more about your PhD project with Batchelor Institute?
I’m enrolled in the PhD Indigenous Perspectives in Creative Arts and my project is arts based research. I am working towards a final exhibition in April 2018 and accompanying exegesis, which explores recorded stories of Quandamooka as well as oral histories related to a mermaid from our area. Parts of my exhibition also looks at several other shared stories from my Elders that I had never heard before and I feel needs to be included in the exhibition. If I hadn’t started talking about the mermaid, then I may not have heard these other stories. It’s important to include this as part of my research.
What inspires your art?
Most of the art I’ve created responds to stories I’ve heard from my mother and other lived experiences with her and what I remember with my grandmother. Mum has a lot of papers and books that she’s collected over time, so I’m reading through these and then getting mum’s thoughts on them. One of the papers was a set of community meeting minutes from March 1974 and included my grandmother’s words ‘weaving mats and baskets like our grannies used to’. I feel as though I honoured my grandmother’s words, when I made three ceramic vessels and work on paper for the recent Gathering Strands Exhibition at Redlands Art Gallery.
Why did you decide to study at Batchelor Institute?
I have known Dr. Sandy O’Sullivan via social media networks for a long time. Around the same time I started reading about the mermaid from here and talking with my mother about known mermaid stories, Sandy had a call out about interested potential PhD opportunities in Creative Arts at Batchelor. I considered formalising my approach – making work, doing more research on an unfinished published story. I felt like I needed to know more about these stories and wondered whether my interest and skill would be the right fit for Batchelor Institute. I followed up with Sandy to see whether I was in a position to be part of this program and if I was capable of achieving this. After a few conversations, it turned out to be right. Enrolling to study at Batchelor has been one of the best decisions I’ve made.
What is next for you?
I’ve recently set up a studio space in Goompee – Dunwich on Minjerribah – North Stradbroke Island, which also has an option for me to sell / market my work. I’ve commenced working on my final exhibition pieces, so it has been important for this space to be created. It’s in the middle of town (Dunwich) and a walk from home and the local coffee spot, so it is ideal in its location.
How long have you got to go on your PhD and what are the next steps for completion?
Confirmation is in November and then another 16 months until completion. Those 16 months will include creating a full body of work including at least 6 major works which will be in ceramics, prints, a woven installation, a catalogue, installing the work and having my work assessed.
What has the PhD process been like so far?
I’ve really enjoyed the process. It’s been this way because of the supervision from Sandy and because I love learning more about my family and community history. I love making art. I’ve thought at times, it shouldn’t be this enjoyable. Having Sandy to ask how to do things, including writing about my work, has been important and made the process less daunting.
How are you finding studying at Batchelor Institute?
I like that I am able to be home and doing my work and have supervision from Sandy, who is located close by in Brisbane. We catch up quite regularly. In fact, she was over here on Minjerribah today, where we had a good look around town and discussion about the next steps for my work.
Would you recommend Batchelor Institute for students interested in a similar PhD?
Yes, I recommend Batchelor Institute for students interested in a similar PhD. The support is there and this enables you to manage through the process.
Where can we find your work?
At the moment, I have work in the ‘Shifting Sands’ exhibition at the Art Centre Gold Coast as part of the Gold Coast Indigenous Artist Camp and work in ‘Island Made’ on Russell Island as part of the Quandamooka Festival.
Some of my exhibition pieces can be seen at delvenecockatoocollins.net and my market stall/retail stuff is under the label of Made on Minjerribah. My studio is located at 7 Stradbroke Place, Dunwich. Social media accounts are instagram: @madeonminjerribah and facebook.com/madeonminjerribah and a few pieces for sale at www.madeonminjerribah.bigcartel.com
How have you progressed as an artist over the past few years?
At the beginning of my candidacy I found it difficult to call myself an artist. Although I’ve always made ‘things’, I felt that I needed to move more into the exhibition space. I’m now always thinking about my work and the next body of work. There are a few exhibitions I’ve recently been involved with and have seen how my work has evolved. I’m excited about the potential work I will create for my final exhibition.
