A new Sydney exhibition of works by accomplished First Nations artist Kelly Taylor and her rising star daughters T'keyah Ware and Kelilah Taylor-Ware is the first time the trio is in exhibition together, with Kelilah debuting her work alongside her mother and sister.
Open at 1 Denison in Sydney until Friday 30 August, The Brushstrokes of Tradition celebrates the 2024 NAIDOC Week theme, Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud & Proud, by showcasing the family's dedication to preserving tradition through generational painting.
Kelly is a celebrated artist both locally and internationally, whose work delves into narratives inspired by her personal experiences of living on Country, where she engages in the traditional practices of hunting and gathering alongside her family.
Her daughters have followed closely in her footsteps to become successful in their own right.
Inspired by observing Kelly paint, T'keyah and Kelilah picked up paintbrushes at a young age, and have since developed their own unique styles under the close guidance of their mother. Their work is inspired by the ancestral journeys of their family and great-grandmother Millie Taylor.
They sell their work on Bluethumb, Australia's largest online art marketplace, and home to some 20,000 artists.
Kelly told National Indigenous Times her Nana Millie was her "greatest inspiration to become an artist".
"She always encouraged me to paint, ever since I was 11 years old," she said.
"The best part of collaborating with my daughters is that it allows me to bond and share ideas while we paint."
She said she hopes for their "art journey" to "touch hearts across the globe through storytelling".
"My plans for the future is to open a gallery and storefront for all our products," Kelly added.
T'keyah said collaborating with her mother and sister is "a real dream come true".
"Working together strengthens our bonds with one another and with our culture, which is the best part of the job," she said.
"Through my art, I hope I can educate people about our stories and demonstrate to the world the strength and beauty of our culture."
Kelilah told National Indigenous Times that working with her sister and her mother has "brought us a lot closer and we never forget to miss out on our family time".
