Endeavour Energy’s first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) will launch in the new year, but we could not wait to celebrate the magnificent artwork that award-winning Aboriginal artist and community leader, Rhonda Sampson has created to illustrate our Reconciliation journey.
It was with real joy and humility that we welcomed Rhonda to unveil “Powering a Brighter Future Together” with Aboriginal staff, senior leaders and members of the RAP team. Rhonda is a proud Kamilaroi woman and long-term resident of Campbelltown on Dharawal Country.
The artwork illustrates how our people and our network interact with the five Aboriginal nations on which we work, the Dharug, Wiradjuri, Dharawal, Gundungurra and Yuin nations, as we make a journey of respect, building relationships, and creating opportunities. We can’t wait to welcome Rhonda back to Endeavour Energy for the RAP launch early in the new year.
The Western Sydney Women Awards are the only awards program representing women at all stages in their life, business & career across the Inner West, Greater West, North West & South West of Sydney.
It is also the only awards program that is free to enter & free to attend to ensure it is accessible to all women. The event will be attended by key stakeholders across community, Government and business including members of the Western Sydney Women community.
Rhonda Sampson has been announced as the Winner of the 2021 Western Sydney Women Awards for the Western Sydney Woman Indigenous Changemaker Award.
The Western Sydney Woman Indigenous Changemaker Award is for the Indigenous woman who has made a positive change in her community with a special focus on providing ways for women to become financially independent and confident.
The Western Sydney Women Awards are the only awards program representing women at all stages in their life, business & career across the Inner West, Greater West, North West & South West of Sydney.
It is also the only awards program that is free to enter & free to attend to ensure it is accessible to all women. The event will be attended by key stakeholders across community, Government and business including members of the Western Sydney Women community.
Rhonda Sampson has been announced as a Finalist in the 2021 Western Sydney Women Awards for the Western Sydney Woman Indigenous Changemaker Award.
The Western Sydney Woman Indigenous Changemaker Award is for the Indigenous woman who has made a positive change in her community with a special focus on providing ways for women to become financially independent and confident.
2021 Finalists
Charleene Mundine
Rhonda Sampson
Robyn Taylor
This Award is Sponsored by
Award Event Dates
Virtual Awards Night & Q&A Live-streamed on Western Sydney Women’s Facebook page 16th November 2021 (6pm – 7pm)
A Campbelltown woman has credited TAFE NSW with helping her turn her passion for creating contemporary Aboriginal artwork into a successful career.
Rhonda Sampson studied a Certificate III in design fundamentals and diploma of graphic design at TAFE NSW Campbelltown, and has since launched her own business, RS Creative Solutions.
The proud Kamilaroi woman has created murals and artworks for a suite of clients including Campbelltown Sports Stadium, Lendlease and Campbelltown City Council.
Ms Sampson, pictured, has won a number of honours, including a TAFE NSW Excellence award, TAFE NSW Gili award, NSW Training award and a Fisher’s Ghost art award.
She was also a finalist in the St George Dragons’ 2021 Indigenous jersey design competition.
“I enrolled in the diploma of graphic design as I wanted to develop my skills further and build my business,’’ says Ms Sampson.
“My teachers were amazing and really brought out the best in me. Without their support from start to finish, I don’t think I would have completed the course.
“The inspiration behind my work has always been my culture. I hope I can be a good role model for younger people looking to start their own business or join the design industry and show it’s never too late to pursue your passion.
“I would strongly encourage others to take the plunge and study something they’re passionate about.
“I’ve really enjoyed using the hands-on skills I’ve gained at TAFE NSW to create contemporary Aboriginal digital artworks for high profile clients.’’
TAFE NSW head teacher of design Lydia Kullik said the diploma of graphic design opens up rewarding career pathways in creative fields.
“Rhonda is a prime example of the opportunities TAFE NSW provides those looking to strengthen their creative and technical design skills and gain a nationally recognised qualification,” Ms Kullik said.
“Students will learn valuable skills such as digital illustration techniques, hand drawing, typography and layout, 3D design and construction, and how to work through the design process from initial design to final product.”
From Left: Kirryn Scicluna, Employment & Career Partner, My Gateway; Rhonda Sampson, Artist, RS Creative Solutions; Dianne Dayhew, CEO National Apprentice Employment Network; James Hunt, 1st Year Engineering Apprentice; Shelley Bullock, CEO, My Gateway.
In mid-2020 when the National Apprentice Employment Network (NAEN) was seeking Indigenous artwork designs for its website and corporate brochures, the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) referred them to the brilliant Aboriginal graphic designer, Rhonda Sampson.
Rhonda is a proud Kamilaroi woman and has designed artwork for the Mental Health Commission of NSW, One Door Mental Health, Souths Cares, Youth Off the Streets and Inner West Council, to name a few. In June, Rhonda was announced the Regional Winner of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year Award for Southern and South Western Sydney at the prestigious NSW Training Awards.
NAEN commissioned Rhonda to take a fresh look at its designs to reflect the diversity of its apprenticeship, traineeship and employment activities across Australia. Rhonda’s artwork, ‘Growing Futures’, has been a stunning success and has had a profound impact on NAEN staff and member organisations.
“It just took my breath away from the first time I saw it,” said NAEN CEO Dianne Dayhew.
“Rhonda seemed to have an instinctive feel from the outset about the type of organisation we are, the many young people we work with, and the way we want to engage with the community.
“It’s more than just a change of design – it’s had an uplifting effect on all of us”.
The design symbolically depicts NAEN as the central element, with branches extending to the apprentice employment networks in each of the states and territories.
“The footpath represents the journey of job seekers and apprentices and trainees,’ Rhonda said.
‘Along that journey, everything intertwines from the individuals themselves, the job seekers, their host businesses and their communities.’
The footprints in the artwork represent the Indigenous apprentices and trainees leaving their communities to embark on their employment journey.
One of those individuals is first-year engineering apprentice James Hunt who is undertaking a Certificate III in Engineering – Fabrication Trade with host employer, GDH Fabrication. He has been placed and supported in the apprenticeship by Campbelltown based Group Training Organisation (GTO), My Gateway which is funded by NAEN along with other GTOs to provide these life-changing programs.
NAEN employs some 25,000 apprentices and trainees across Australia and places them with host businesses. It will incorporate Rhonda’s designs into its materials and hopes to work with Rhonda in the future to help reflect its extensive work with Indigenous communities.
Congratulations to Maggie-Jean Douglas – a Gubbi Gubbi artist from South East Queensland who is the winner of the prestigious National NAIDOC poster competition for 2021.
Her entry – Care for Country – was chosen from 260 entries in the national competition.
The 21-year-old artist said her first thoughts on hearing the 2021 NAIDOC theme ‘Heal Country!’ was about how country has cared for and healed First Nations people in all senses of the meaning for so long.
“I wanted to create an artwork that told that story and made me hopeful for what’s to come in future years,” she said”.
The iconic NAIDOC poster has been celebrating and promoting NAIDOC Week since the late 1960s and rose to national prominence in the 1970s with the establishment of the Indigenous rights movement.
Free printed copies of the 2021 National NAIDOC Poster will be available through the National Indigenous Australians Agency’s regional network in a few weeks.
Reconciliation Australia’s theme for 2021 ‘More than a word’. Reconciliation takes action’ urges the reconciliation movement towards braver and more impactful action. Reconciliation is a journey for all Australians – as individuals, families, communities, organisations and importantly as a nation. At the heart of this journey are relationships between the broader Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 2021 marks twenty years of Reconciliation Australia and almost three decades of Australia’s formal reconciliation process.
About the NRW2021 Artwork
Action by Jessica Johnson, is the story of the land and community sharing the united call for action on reconciliation. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples have been listening to the heartbeat of the land and sea for generations. With their rainbow shaped souls the spirits ask for us to join and make reconciliation more than a word, take action. We need to love one another and every aspect of the existing environment and community – we all have a role to play.
Moving from Awareness to Action
The Reconciliation movement is at a tipping point: In the past year, with Black Lives Matter protests and huge numbers at Invasion Day rallies across the country, we’re seeing people are understanding the truth and speaking up on issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
More than a word. Reconciliation takes action asks people to take this awareness and knowledge, and use it as springboard to more substantive, brave action. For reconciliation to be effective, it must involve truth-telling, and actively address issues of inequality, systemic racism and instances where the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are ignored, denied or reduced.
While we see greater support for reconciliation from the Australian people than ever before, we must be more determined than ever if we are to achieve the goals of the movement — a just, equitable, reconciled Australia. As history tells us, this will only happen through continued and concerted action from those who are already part of the reconciliation movement to those who are yet to join.
Moving towards a braver reconciliation requires a vision for what a just equitable and reconciled Australia looks like.
According to the 2020 Australian Reconciliation Barometer there is far greater awareness of the complexity and magnitude of First Nations cultures and knowledges; and many more Australians now understand the brutal impact that British colonialism and the modern Australian state have had on First Nations families and communities. We are seeing more people speaking up, speaking the truth, asking the hard questions, seeing the hard facts, and informing themselves about issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The 2021 theme calls on others to follow their lead by reflecting on their own contributions and striving to do more.
Artist Rhonda Sampson with her artwork at Campbelltown Stadium.
A bright new mural now greets fans visiting Campbelltown Sports Stadium and they’ve got Eagle Vale artist Rhonda Sampson is to thank for it.
Campbelltown Council asked Ms Sampson to create the piece, which is accompanied by a Welcome to Country address, to acknowledge and celebrate the traditional owners of the land.
Ms Sampson, a Kamilaroi woman, said she was honoured to create the artwork – titled Past Present and Future – and very proud of the finished product.
“It was an honour to do it, to represent the Aboriginal community and to acknowledge traditional owners,” she said.
“I’m really proud, as an Aboriginal girl, to be asked to do something at this level. I’m proud of the work.”
Ms Sampson said she undertook a lot of research to try and incorporate as much as she could into the piece.
She said the stadium was built on Dharawal land and originally called Orana Park. She said orana was a Wiradjuri word meaning ‘welcome’, which was fitting for a place which saw people gather there from afar.
“I met with the council staff in October last year and got an idea of what the artwork should represent,” Ms Sampson said.
“The stadium is a massive meeting place, all our major sports events are held there. So, I thought about that, growing up as a local girl, what that meant to me.
“I’ve got the stadium lights represented in there – they’re the four big white circles – because you know, locally, that if those lights are on something is happening.”
Ms Sampson said she incorporated the colours of Wests Tigers into the piece, alongside the council’s branded colour palette.
She said the adjoining Athletics Stadium was represented, and well as communities from the north, south, east and west.
“People come from afar to attend the events at the sports stadium,” she said. “It’s a big meeting place, which is very diverse and multicultural, so those four river elements represented communities coming from other places to meet in our inclusive town.”
Ms Sampson said she had a clear idea from the start of how she wanted to artwork to come together.
She said it was created with the three “key elements” of ‘past’, ‘present’ and ‘future’ at front of mind.
“The past acknowledges the Dharawal people, the stadium is on their land, and it was built to honour the history of that, the evolution from a farming area to what it is today,” she said.
“The present is the sports stadium as one of Campbelltown’s major attractions. It has hosted major international events and we’ve welcomed visitors from far and wide to showcase their talent and celebrate in unity, supporting the events held at the stadium.
“The future is about Campbelltown growing and growing fast. It is anticipating the moments that haven’t happened yet, and more excitement into the future.”
Campbelltown mayor George Brticevic said the mural was a welcoming new feature for the stadium.
“Fans attending Macarthur FC or Wests Tigers games will now be greeted with this fantastic new artwork as they go to take their seats to watch our local teams play,” he said. “It is a fitting representation of Campbelltown Sports Stadium’s place in our modern history, told through the perspective of a local Aboriginal artist.”
The mural is just one part of a suite of new visual elements, including signage, installed throughout the stadium in the past few months.
The TAFE NSW Excellence Awards recognises outstanding student achievements. The awards acknowledge determination, resilience and leadership – identifying those who achieve outstanding academic results, who provide significant contribution to their professions, and who exhibit exceptional personal qualities.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year Award
This award recognises the achievement of an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander student who displays a strong understanding and knowledge of the vocational education and training system and demonstrates the relevance of lifelong learning for themselves and their community.
Rhonda Sampson was named the 2020 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year Award for the TAFE NSW Excellence Awards.
The prestigious Fisher’s Ghost Art Award at Campbelltown Arts Centre (C-A-C) is an annual art prize inviting artists to submit works in a variety of artistic categories and mediums. The Fisher’s Ghost Art Award coincides with Campbelltown’s annual Festival of Fisher’s Ghost. Held over 10 days, the festival dates back to 1956 and celebrates Australia’s most famous ghost – Frederick Fisher.
It was a privilege to be shortlisted as a finalist in the Aboriginal Art Award category this award is sponsored by the Liberal Party of Australia Campbelltown Councillors.
The Artwork: “In This Together”
2020 has been a very challenging year and during this time we have all had a role to play as individuals, families, communities, businesses and importantly as a society. In this time, we are reminded that no matter who we are or where we come from, we as a society are all ‘In This Together’. We have all come together and embraced unity and a mutual respect for one another as we all face these challenging times together because is our diverse society, we are all ‘In This Together’.
