Start at Home No. 98 - Robert Andrew

Robert Andrew is an artist whose family comes from the Yawuru people of the Broome area in Western Australia. His works of art explore stories from his family and culture that were forgotten or hidden in the past. He shows how people are connected to the land, water, sky, and living things. Robert often mixes technology with natural materials like ochre, rocks, and soil. His art helps uncover important histories and share the deep cultural connections between people and Country.

Robert Andrew made a work of art titled New Eyes – Old Country – Nagula to connect with his Yawuru ancestral land near Broome, Western Australia. A special drawing machine slowly drags charcoal across the gallery wall to create marks that look like the shapes of the land and a screen shows drone footage of the coastline and a dirt road where the Yawuru word “Nagula,” meaning saltwater, appears in the red soil. As the soil dries, the word fades and appears again. The work of art helps keep the Yawuru language and stories of Robert’s Country alive.

Questions:

• If you built a drawing machine, what would you want it to draw on the wall?
• The word “Nagula” means saltwater. What word from nature (like rain, wind, or tree) would you like to turn into an artwork?

• Robert sometimes uses drones and modern technology to explore and show the shapes and stories of Country from above.
• Instead of using paint, Robert also uses natural materials like charcoal, soil, rocks, and ochre from the land to make art.

1. Head outside and collect a few different types of soil, dirt, grass or sand. See if you can find different colours.
2. Put each soil into a small bowl. Add a little water, mix and grind until it becomes muddy paint. Try making two or three different colours.
3. Roll the wheels of your toy car in the muddy paint.
4. Slowly drive the car across the paper to make tracks and lines.
5. Drive fast, slow, straight, curvy, or in zig-zags to make exciting patterns.
6. Use the car tracks to write a word from nature (wind, rain, tree, river, ocean)
7. Take a photo of your artwork. As the muddy paint dries, notice how the colours, lines, and words slowly change or fade.

Take it further:

• Experiment with different toys like trucks, bikes, or toy animals. Compare the patterns their wheels or feet make.
• Let the first layer dry, then paint over it with a new soil colour and make new tracks on top.

• Different soils, dirt, or sand
• Water
• Small bowls or tray
• A spoon or stick for mixing
• A toy car(s) and/or toy animals
• A big piece of paper
• A camera or phone (optional)