Shane Pickett - "Biroc Light and Swirl of the Breeze", 2005, synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 76 x 102 cm. Donated through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program by Tamara Graham in 2021, Murdoch University Art Collection.

Gazing upon Shane Pickett’s painting titled Biroc of Light and Swirl of the Breeze, my body, is attempting to make sense of what it’s experiencing, my brown eyes scan the scale of creativity to support my mind, make meaning. I see demarcations of blue, yellow and orange, sometimes solid colours, at other times colours faded along spectrums of wavelength, white dots show paths into and out of a time-realm a conduit for the past, maybe the present and forever forward looking. I stand, sometimes to the side catching the refraction of light, finding the artists’ balance to use the brush, hand or other tools to produce the markings, to find the sweet spot of contrasting knowledge of Noongar seasons, living with the dark and light, my imagination the only limitation.

The white dot work ‘pathways’, biddi’s become more focused, and the significance of the painting takes shape. In this moment, with this artwork, crafted by an artist, who practiced his culture, who enjoyed sharing his perspective of the strengths of Noongar culture, I’m reminded of the opportunity education can provide to the many hearts and minds on Noongar boodjar, and the role of cultural privilege coupled with responsibility not “just”, theirs, yours or mine but ours, one of a shared commitment to learn and share, nurture, just like the changing of boodjars six seasons, or from my office window, the comings and goings of rain, the flowering of balga and gum tree bark shedding, the nesting and feeding of Ngoolarks (white tail black cockatoos) and the busy nature of waardongs (crows) and singing in of the rising sun (Ngangk Yira) to the tune of Kulbardi (magpie). 

I am reminded that culture is dynamic, like an education… like life, but the care and nurturing of the land remains paramount, always involving responsibility and action, without it objects of matter are swept-up and away in various forces of wind and breeze, landing, displaced from one location to another, restless and at its worse destroyed, and lost in material form. No human life can exist on this land without being impacted by Nyungah ways of knowing, being and doing, it is complex in existence, of spirit, mind and body. Our awareness of the ebbs and flows of energies intersecting and intertwined, sometimes isolated and separate within and external at a cellular level sensitive and at other times frail to any detection of life and a risk to our existence.

When my Mimi (grandma in her mother tongue Yawuru) asked me as a little girl “what do you want to be when you grow up?” I told her I want to be with animals. There lays the merit in supporting children navigate aspirations aligned with their identity, and just like Shane Pickett who knew he wanted to be an artist at an early age, and determinedly walked his path early, that’s what Murdoch University has given to people, families, communities and societies. The ability to think for oneself, sometimes in the box most of the time outside the box, for it is with freedom that greater solutions can provide benefit to all the planet, and all creatures great and small. 

About Barbara Hostalek

Barbara was born and raised up on Larrakia lands. She is of Aboriginal ancestry (Gija and Yawuru) and Irish/Scottish on her mum’s side and Czech, Greek/English and Territorian on her dads. She moved to Boorloo, Noongar boodjar to study veterinary science through the admission path the Professional Education Program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (PEPA), now known as the First Nations Veterinary path – Waardong. 

After graduation in 2001, Barbara completed a cadetship with the CSIRO and worked as an associate veterinarian in mixed animal practice alongside Dr Miriam Canning (Wongathella) Veterinary Hospital Director. Barbara returned to Murdoch University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2019 as Waardong Lecturer supporting in the attraction, admission, retention, progression, graduation and registration of Doctor Veterinary Medicine. Barbara wanted to ensure a holistic sense of urgency supporting First Nations engagement in veterinary science and whole heartedly believes in the value “learning together to lift the sky”, a call to action of all Elders, families, colleagues and peers to elevate the representation of First Nations Veterinarians in the discipline by whatever means necessary, due to the significant positioning of animals connected to land and spiritual strength for family, people, communities and societies throughout Australia.

In her downtime she is a storyteller, playwright and poet. Her most recent theatre production was produced by Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company, titled Thirst in 2025.