The Turtle is an important animal in Bardi Jawi Country.
The pearl shell has been polished and left natural to reveal the beautiful colours with gold and purple tones.
Russell Davey
Russell (Wossy) Davey is a proud Bardi man, with many connections, but only identifies himself as a Traditional Custodian of the Ardi’ol clan group. He lives in Ardyaloon Community on the Dampier Peninsula of the Kimberley Region in Western Australia. Wossy’s art is inspired by his Bardi culture creating designs that incorporate Dreamtime stories of his saltwater people, continuing to tell these stories through many art forms, using colours, animals and shapes that depict his natural environment.
He is an accomplished carver of pearl shells, boab nuts, and traditional artefacts whilst advocating that young people are taught the old ways, keeping law, language and culture alive, so the knowledge is not lost forever.
“I've been doing art all my life. I’ve loved it since school doing a lot of drawing. You get ideas from people as you go along in life and you try things and refine. When I was young, my teacher asked us to draw a lion thinking it would be too hard but I did it easily and that’s when I realised I could draw. I learned carving when I was eleven from my uncles and I grew up watching my grandmother painting with oils.” 2026
