PORTLAND artist Melissa Aitkin is crediting her indigenous heritage with the inspiration for her first exhibition.
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The South West TAFE Diploma of Visual Arts graduate said her work currently displayed at the Warrnambool Art Gallery was based on her ancestors’ possum skin designs.
The exhibition space was awarded to Miss Aitkin as part of winning the 2015 Peter Lucas Award, the award established in honour of the former TAFE photography and art history teacher who died in the 1990s.
“When I found out I won the award, I thought about what designs I could do and came up with my ancestors’ possum skin designs,” Ms Aitkin said.
“There are 49 possum skins on the cloak; I’ve picked four of them and with those I did 40 artworks last year which are on display.”
