NAVA ARTIST FILE: NEPHI DENHAM

NEPHI DENHAM: My name is Nephi Denham.
I'm a local artist at the Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre.
Yep, I've been working there for a while now.
Great experience working there
and going to many different places, taking the art round,
going to the places, talking about it,
exhibitions in Cairns and here and very good.

NAVA: How did you get started as an artist?

NEPHI DENHAM: One day my auntie just decided to take me down to the art centre
and I just did so I’d have something to do,
because I wasn't working at the time.
And so we'd go and from there and I've attended ever since
and learned a lot about my ancestors,
and the knowledge and stuff like that. That all come into play and
why there are different artefacts and stuff like, that we used
and how they were made.
So, it's really,
really something good to have an art centre back there.

NAVA: Describe some of your significant national experiences and what they have enabled you to achieve?

NEPHI DENHAM: I went to the JamFactory in South Australia,
spend a few days work there and had a two week residency.
With four other gentlemen from different area.
Two Torres Strait Islander…there was one from the Torres Strait,
myself and two local artists, I think they were.
But we all kinda got together and worked at the JamFactory,
which is really interesting to see how they work on their art work
and we had Jimmy the other guy from Torres Strait,
how he produces his work and tells a story and that.
Yeah, they were really interested in my,
my work as well and how I do it, yeah.
So it was really good to have that one.

NAVA: What does art mean to you?

NEPHI DENHAM: Very, very important to keep, keep the culture going.
Not very many young people back home doing it.
I think I'm the youngest here at the art centre,
but it's really important to keep going, yeah.
Keep...keep it strong I guess.