My name is Lorna Dawson. My mum is a fullblood Aboriginal. My mum’s father was a Nyamal Law man. My mum’s mother was Nyiyparli woman. My dad was a white man that was born in Jardee in Western Australia.
I was raised in Perth and came back up to Hedland (where I was born) when I was a teenager. I have been in Hedland pretty much since then. Moved away and travelled around a bit but always came back to Hedland. I am sister to 14 siblings. I am a mother to four wonderful children.
I started painting as a personal journey. I picked up a skewer [used for painting dots]. It helped me get through some real bad days. I just paint with dots. ‘I dabble in dots’ I like to say. Sometimes I paint animals, sometimes I paint Country; sometimes I paint things on Country.
As well as being an artist, Lorna is Lead Studio Assistant at Spinifex Hill Studio.