'Strong Spirits' art series overseen by artist Sherry Johnstone launched at Archie Graham Community Centre

Over the course of five weeks, Indigenous and non-Indigenous young people from Brophy Youth Service, Kirrae Health Service and the Clontarf and Kallay programs at Warrnambool College partnered to make a series of artworks now on display at the Archie Graham Community Centre.

Bethany Community Support educator Lily Bourke helped organise the program.

"We had some funding to do a project with first nations young people so came up with the idea to make Strong Spirits which was a five-week youth art program," Ms Bourke said.

"Sherry Johnstone helped the boys come up with some ideas - we had a brainstorming session around 'connection' and the young people came up with some designs and Sherry put them on canvas and they painted them for the next few weeks."

Clontarf student Durrell Proctor, 13, titled his piece 'Star Players'.

"The stars shine like everyone can shine in their own ways, the snake is my totem and in the middle is the meeting place. The boomerangs are in different colours to show even if you're different colours you're still Aboriginal," Durrell said.

"There's also kangaroo and emu footprints to show moving forward. The numbers represent basketball players."

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Clontarf student Munnah Atkinson, 13, named his work 'The Protector'.

"The sunlight watches off the land, the birds are part of the land," he said.

Clontarf operations officer Mark Ciurleo said the program was a great activity for the boys to be involved in.

"We targeted the younger guys from year seven to year eight to come along," he said.

"It was just good to get them out after COVID and do an activity - it was great."

Archie Graham Community Centre community support manager Carly Jordan encouraged people to see the works.

"They're open to anyone in the community to come have a look," she said.

The series will be on display into the New Year.

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