Didgeri Testimonials
Dear Helen,
I went on a Palya Art tour some 15years ago and even after such a long time the memory of this remarkable experience is still as fresh with me as if it happened just yesterday. It was a truly extraordinary to see first hand where all this wonderful Aboriginal Art comes from and to meet the people that have created these masterpieces. Helen who has since become a great friend made the trip really enjoyable. Her professionalism and vast knowledge of indigenous art made the trip a true learning experience for me. I could not recommend the Palya Art tour highly enough to anyone who wants to broaden their appreciation of Aboriginal Art.
Aaron Kamienko - Melbourne
Dear Helen
“... I also wanted to say a big thank you for leading us on such a wonderful trip - I found it fascinating and thought provoking and loved meeting the artists and seeing such a diversity of art and country. I enjoyed it all, and having two expert pilots on board was certainly reassuring! So thanks for your help with that too. It has left me with a lot of things to think about and my appreciation of indigenous art has increased all the more for seeing some of the country and meeting the people who have created it. Thanks for your efforts with the food, accommodation and linking up with the local communities and Art Centre conveners. Your experience showed through and I feel fortunate to have been able to visit the places we did. All the best for your next adventures and hope to see you in Sydney some time!
Love Kathy
The forces were with me in 1998 when I was given a West Australian arts fellowship which meant “wow, I’ve got money from the government to go on one of Helen’s amazing trips to the Aboriginal communities”, which changed my life as a artist and continues to feed me more than a decade later. I went on a trip led by Helen, along with other collectors, and felt quite humbled at the time to think it took 50 years and a West Australian fellowship to travel to the heart of Australia. Words cannot express what an incredible privilege it was to have experienced such a journey. Having had no education in all the proceeding years regarding indigenous culture, it made me realise these people make such an invaluable contribution to the arts and culture in Australia, it was such a privilege to visit these remote Aboriginal communities and outstations in the dessert meeting with artists and absorbing such a richness of culture. To have the experience and the knowledge that Helen imparts on such a journey is totalling enlightening. It teaches you and awakens you to such a code of respect between yourself and our indigenous fellows.
That is a little bit of history in relation to my meeting with Helen. What she has done and been preparing for over these many many months of wanting to put together an amazing website which answers so many of your questions, and is an education, not to mention and important archival resource. So I stand here tonight having been given the privilege to launch her website palya.com.au
Helen holds an utmost respect for the people of the communities being visited and has an intimate understanding of their social protocols – a mutual respect of which has been formed over many years. The website in essence, acts as a voice to represent the creative communities of the world’s oldest indigenous culture, which is truly something to be honoured.
To enlighten you on the content, the Palya website provides information about individual artists, geographical location and art styles, about collections and where works can be viewed and purchased. It is both educational and archival.
Opening with a grand detailed map of Australia, the site highlights all of the most important areas throughout the Kimberly and Central Australia, where Helen has woven many paths. Helen has shown a commitment to developing relationships with Indigenous artists for many years and always believed in nurturing their creativity. Enjoy the journey of this most important website which will continue to evolve.
Pippin Drysdale Perth