Philomena Yeatman

Date of Birth: 1/03/1960
Language: Gunggandji

Biography
Philomena Yeatman is a Gunggandji woman, born in Cairns in 1960 and raised in Yarrabah Community.

Philomena mother's side is Gunggandji and her father’s side is Kuku Yalanji.

She began her career in the arts in 1991. At first, she experimented with print and jewellery making and shortly after embraced weaving, ceramics and painting.

Philomena is an renown weaver. Learning traditional practices from her grandmother who taught her how to make baskets and mats using pandanus, cabbage palm and natural dyes found in country. She is passionate about maintaining traditional knowledge. Her vibrant weaving is inspired by traditional forms that were used to carry food collected from the sea and rainforests.

Group Exhibitions
2019 - 2020 - Jabu Birriny (land and sea) Touring Exhibiton Mackay Artspace, Mackay QLD, Bannana Shire Regional Art Gallery, Biloea QLD, Tablelands Regional Gallery, Gab Titui Cultural Centre, Grasslands Art Gallery, Tambo QLD, Lapunyah Gallery, Chincilla QLD, Arts Ablaze Conference, Kooralyn QLD
Jan Eckford Centre, Julia Creek QLD
2019 - Cairns Indigenous Art Fair 2019 Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal, Cairns QLD
2018 - PSBA NAIDOC Art Exhibi􀆟on 2018 Brisbane, QLD
2018 - Cairns Indigenous Art Fair 2018 Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal, Cairns QLD
2017 - Jabu Birriny (land and sea) State Library of Queensland, Brisbane QLD
2017 -  Cairns Indigenous Art Fair 2017 Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal, Cairns QLD
2016 - Beyond the Surface: New Textiles and Ceramics Cairns Art Gallery, Cairns QLD
2016 - Freshwater Saltwater: Moving Time UMI Arts, Cairns QLD
2015 - Cairns Indigenous Art Fair 2015 Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal, Cairns QLD
2015 - Freshwater Saltwater: Celebra􀆟ng UMI Arts’ 10th Anniversary UMI Arts, Cairns QLD
2015 - Yarrabah: Icons in Clay with Janet Fieldhouse KickArts, Cairns QLD
2014 - Cairns Indigenous Art Fair 2014 Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal, Cairns QLD
2013 - UMI Arts ‘you and me’ Members Exhibition UMI Arts, Cairns QLD
2013 - UMI Arts - Freshwater Saltwater UMI Arts, Cairns QLD
2013 - Kinship - IACA Exhibi􀆟on Tank 4, The Tanks Art Centre, Cairns QLD
2013 - Telstra NATSIAA 2013 - Finalists Exhibi􀆟on MAGNT, Darwin NT
2012 - Yarrie You, Yarrie Me - an Exhibtion by Yarrabah Community Art Centre Artists UMI Arts, Cairns
QLD
2003 - Story Place: Indigenous Art of Cape York and the Rainforest Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane QLD

Themes
Hairymen
Traditional Weaving
Sea and Land Animals

Mediums
Print Making
Acrylic on cotton canvas
Ceramics
Jewellery
Weaving
Fabric paint on cotton

Collections
The Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane QLD
Cairns Gallery Collection, Cairns QLD
Keeping Place, Sate Library of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD

Bibliography
2017 - Jabu Birriny (land + sea): Contemporary stories by Yarrabah artists - http://jabubirriny.slq.qld.gov.au/
2016 - Yarrabah artist Michelle Yeatman shapes stories of her country https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/art-anddesign/yarrabah-artist-mich…
2015 - Yarrabah artists find their own way into the world - Article by Nicolas Rothwell The Australian Feb 26, 2015
2014 - Indigenous artists invite the wider Cairns community over the range for the Yarrabah Arts & Cultural Day on June 28 by Denise Carter, The Cairns Post June 26, 2014
2014 - Yarrabah artists take it up a notch for CIAF by Isaac Egan, Kier Shorey and Fiona Sewell, ABC FNQ, 12 June, 2014 http://www.abc.net.au/local/photos/2014/06/11/4023026.htm

Awards
2016 - Philomena Yeatman, Edna Anbrym and Valmai Pollard, Public Art Mosaic Installation. Shields Street Heart Re-Development
2013 - Silkcut Award for Linocut Prints, Glen Eira City Gallery, Melbourne VIC
2002 - Indigenous Heritage Award - Yagal Mura Mura, Old Parliament House, Canberra ACT

Commissions
2016 - Philomena Yeatman, Edna Anbrym and Valmai Pollard, Public Art Mosaic Installation. Shields Street Heart Re-Development