An unwavering and passionate commitment to community, culture and art has been central to Lesley Murray's extraordinary journey through life.

The Anaiwan woman from NSW, recently inducted to the WA Women's Hall of Fame, has spent almost 30 years in WA, raising her four children while implementing groundbreaking community and artistic initiatives, with the transformative power of art to heal and empower central to their success.

For 11 years Ms Murray was program coordinator Best Start Armadale, designed to prepare Aboriginal children and families for school, while honouring their cultural heritage. Her efforts laid a foundation of self-esteem and resilience. As she progressed into senior leadership, Ms Murray's reach expanded to Aboriginal early years programs across WA, becoming a trusted mentor and pillar of support to others working to uplift Indigenous families.

Her ability to connect deeply and meaningfully with people has made her an invaluable force fostering culturally sensitive and impactful initiatives.

From 2014-2018 Ms Murray widened her roots to the heart of the Pilbara, working with the Act Belong Commit campaign in Roebourne.

It was here her efforts promoting social and emotional wellbeing resulted in culturally relevant messages and activities blossoming, promoting healing and unity, a passion that guided her to serve as acting manager and CEO of the Roebourne Art Group Aboriginal Corporation from 2018-2020, where many of her students blossomed, using art to confront trauma, celebrate their heritage and strengthen their emotional wellbeing.

Many of the programs Ms Murray developed are still active today, such as the Art and Yarning Program at Langford Aboriginal Association.

Professor Clare Pollock, vice-chancellor at ECU where Ms Murray was an alumni, said her lifelong dedication to nurturing cultural pride and emotional wellbeing through artistic expression was truly remarkable.

"Her unwavering commitment to walking alongside the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, using her creativity and skills to support, mentor, and build strong connections, is an inspiration," Professor Pollock said.

"This honour is a reminder of the incredible legacy she has built, not only through her professional achievements but also her advocacy and commitment to the advancement of women in community."

Ms Murray has had her art featured in collections across Australia and the world, including Milan, the National Art Gallery of Australia, Australian War Memorial, the Australian Embassy in Bejing during the Olympics there, and the WA, Queensland and Tasmanian Art Galleries respectively, receiving numerous accolades for her works across several mediums, with her most well-known piece being the Black Soldier.

"My art is an experimental journey in mediums to tell the stories from my childhood, along with my inspirations from everyday life; being a mother and a creative woman in my own right," she said.

She is a firm believer that art builds good mental health by freeing the mind of life's everyday stresses and connecting to one's creative side. While working with various community service sector agencies over the years, Ms Murray always found ways to use art as a tool to connect to Elders, families, communities, and all walks of life, "from the littles ones to adults".

"It works to uplift oneself and inspires good feelings in people, while strengthening families and communities," she said.

After a stroke on Christmas Day in 2020, Ms Murray soon found herself in the depths of despair, losing sight in one eye, and was getting her affairs in order, planning to end her life.

It was her former mother-in-law, Bev Burns, who urged her to visit the Beananging Kwuurt Institute in Queens Park, where she eventually found a purpose and formed the BKI Art Group in 2021 to help with her stroke recovery and mentor and train emerging artists as its Artist-in-Residence.

BKI artists have enjoyed success since Ms Murray facilitated art workshops there, with an increasing number of women selling their work, and many being showcased at events such as the World Indigenous Tourism Summit and the Art Gallery of WA.

The future of the BKI Art Group is in doubt due to an ongoing dispute between BKI's now former board and the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress, of which BKI is an agency. In December Congress (part of the Uniting Church) ordered BKI is halt its community services at the site.

"Art as therapy has always been something I believe is an essential part of the holistic healing process and, in this case, it has been a godsend for me as I explore completely new ways of expressing my creativity," Ms Murray said.

"I've had two more minor strokes but keep trying to remaster my fine motor skills.

"It is a priority for me – mentally, emotionally, and physically – as artistic expression is such a fundamental part of what makes me, me."

While Ms Murray has lived in Boorloo/Perth on Whadjuk Noongar boodja for some time, she still has deep connections to her home in Urallan NSW, using art to recapture happy memories camping and fishing with her family.

"It's a way for me to remember in visual form after memory loss sustained from three strokes," she said.

"I just want to make a difference in this world and help people connect to their creative side."