Leanne Tobin

Braemar Gallery
Our Places - Our Faces | 8 June – 24 June 2007

Leanne Tobin is descended from the Dharug, the traditional Aboriginal people of Greater Western Sydney.

Leanne feels a strong sense of commitment and responsibility to the place of her family and what happened in this place, both pre-settlement and post-settlement. Leanne works both as a primary teacher and educator sharing local Dharug histories, stories and land care issues with the wider public.

Leanne’s work acknowledges her mixed ancestry, using Western techniques infused with Aboriginal symbolism and stories. Her art, regardless of subject matter, attempts to portray a human element or emotive quality and seeks to connect people through the common human feelings shared by all. Teaching about the land and its people is crucial because of the need for people living here today to understand the role of a custodian in caretaking for country and ensuring that we look after, conserve and share what we have.

Her landscapes seek to convey the intrinsic spiritual connection of Indigenous people with the land, that which is often hidden beneath concrete and tar - the hidden stories of this place long ago.

The Marra Mob are a group of Aboriginal people from a variety of regions all living in the Blue Mountains region.

We have local Dharug and Gundungurra artists represented as well as people from Wiradjuri, Ngiyampaa, Gamillaroi, Bundjalung, Tharawal, Barkindji and Yidinji countries.

Four members of the group were selected as finalists for the 2006 Parliament of New South Wales Indigenous Art Prize. In 2007, Varuna, the Writers House in Katoomba, has provided a mentor for one of our members to assist with the draft for her first book.

The artists have won awards and sold many of their artworks at local and regional exhibitions. Members include performing artists, visual artists, dancers, didgeridoo players, writers and singers, some of which have performed at state and national levels.