Custom dot painting designed with sick children in mind
Titled Mundjindi, this custom Aboriginal dot painting was created to bring protection and comfort to the walls of the Townsville University Hospital’s children’s ward.
Townsville
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Army veteran Chris Gray was battling depression when he picked up a paintbrush for the first time since childhood.
Little did he know his Aboriginal dot paintings would lead to people across the nation wanting commissioned pieces.
“I’m just blown away by the requests and they’re huge artworks too, I’m doing a piece three metres by two metres at the moment,” Mr Gray said.
“They come from my mind and my heart really. It takes me to a different place and none are the same … so it’s completely authentic and special for that person.”
Mr Gray said since leaving the Army he had gone through deep reflection to beat the black dog and find meaning after his military career.
He used the time to reconnect with his culture as a proud Bunjalong man from the Tweed area in New South Wales.
“I just looked at myself one day and thought what am I doing, I’ve got too much to live for to give my life away,” he said. “My kids, my wife meant too much but I knew I needed something that was going to have an impact on the community and for some reason art just came to me.
His latest instalment titled Mundjindi, is a custom design created to bring protection and comfort to the walls of the Townsville University Hospital’s children’s ward.
“The first time I walked into the ward I was taken back by the bare walls. I thought this is a room where families come to receive both the best and sadly, worst news of their lives,” he said. “So, I asked if I could donate some of my art and they were rapt and they just asked for something that had meaning.
“I included the men standing there with spears and shields to protect that information of the family, the yarning circle in the middle and symbols in there for men women and children.”
To purchase artwork, visit chris_deadly_art on Instagram.
Originally published as Custom dot painting designed with sick children in mind