Merindah Funnell
Merindah Funnell is a proud Wiradjuri artist and illustrator based in Sydney, born on Dharawal Country.
Merindah Funnell is a Tubba-Gah woman from the Wiradjuri Nation, with deep family ties to the Western Plains of New South Wales. Her great grandfather is the renowned Tracker Riley of Dubbo, and she proudly carries forward her family’s legacy through her work as an artist and educator.
Merindah’s practice spans large-scale public murals, fine art painting, graphic illustration, and collaborative creative learning. Her distinctive visual language combines striking colours, bold symbolism and storytelling to celebrate First Nations culture, acknowledge Country, and spark meaningful conversations around identity, belonging, and connection. Through her art, Merindah aims to create welcoming spaces for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities while encouraging non-Indigenous audiences to engage with First Nations stories.
As Lead Artist Educator for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Learning Programs at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Merindah plays a key role in shaping cultural learning for diverse audiences. Her background in education is supported by formal study in fine arts, Aboriginal arts, graphic design, and fashion design across Eora, Enmore, Kogarah and Ultimo TAFE campuses.
Merindah’s public artworks can be seen across Sydney and beyond. In 2024, she collaborated with artist Emma Hicks on Walking Country Pathways, a mural painted on Cammeraygal Country at Hutley Hall in North Sydney, representing the land at sunrise, dusk and night. She also worked alongside Aunty Deanna Schreiber on the Como Station upgrade, creating original designs reflecting Wiradjuri culture and community connection, with striking images transferred onto concrete and underpass walls. Her artwork at Waitara Station draws on Darug and Guringai Country, incorporating native plant species, waterways, and symbols of movement to reflect connection across land and songlines.
Other clients and collaborators include Western Sydney University, City of Sydney, Bankstown Arts Council, Parramatta Council, Subsonic Music Festival, and Pacific Link Housing. Her illustrations also feature in Dharawal: Words, Phrases and Activities, a language learning resource developed in collaboration with Elder Aunty Barb Simms and Dr Jodi Edwards.
In addition to her solo practice, Merindah often works with the FLENK collective as a co-creator. In 2023, she co-facilitated a creative learning workshop at the National Art School's Education Symposium, sharing strategies for active Acknowledgement of Country and art-based engagement with sovereignty and resistance.
Merindah will present Echoes of Light: Our Connection Through Waterwaysin collaboration with artist Emma Hicks at Space on The Concourse, opening Thursday 12 June from 6–8pm. The exhibition features a new series of site-specific mixed media works that reflect interwoven stories shaped by water and time immemorial, deeply connected to Cammeraygal Country. Developed in consultation with Barada Bana, Yuin and Cammeraygal Elder Aunty Jeanie Moran, the exhibition invites viewers to consider their own relationships to place. As part of the program, Merindah and Emma will host a one-day eco-dyeing and weaving workshop led by Noongar artist Jodie Dowd, bringing together First Nations Aunties from across Sydney’s north side to contribute to a community-led collaborative artwork.
In this interview, Merindah reflects on the impact of rising living costs on her practice, the ongoing grief following the Voice referendum, and the urgent need for more First Nations artists to lead public art and cultural education. She also speaks to the value of cultural connection, community collaboration, and how time spent on Country strengthens her voice as an artist and educator.
Video production by Atypical 2024.
Photo by Liz Ham, 2025.
ID: Photo of Merindah Funnell seated in a bright, plant-filled studio space with a high ceiling and loft area. She wears a colourful checked shirt and jeans, and is holding an embroidery hoop while smiling toward the camera. The workspace is filled with art supplies, including thread, paint, paper, and spray cans, with finished and in-progress artworks spread across the table. Natural light pours in through large windows to the left, and a wooden ladder leads to the mezzanine above.
About NAVA
The National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA) is a Membership organisation that brings together the many voices of the contemporary arts sector to improve fundamental conditions of work and practice. We do this through advocacy, education and the Code of Practice. For further information on NAVA visit www.visualarts.net.au
