Koori Magnets

Aboriginal Map Wetlands Artwork by Stephen Hogarth Copyright Hogarth Arts 2016

Land Before Time represents the different tribes and cultures that made up Australia before European Invasion. In those days, there were more than 200 languages spoken among Aboriginal people. Most have since gone and today only around 20 are still spoken.

Always was Always Will Be Aboriginal Land - Platypus © Copyright Hogarth Arts 2020

This artwork represents the coming together of clans from differing background, to discuss future collaborations, and trade. The Gathering is a celebration of culture and sharing knowledge.

Learning to Fly - A mother Green Sea Turtle moves with the ocean's current, banking and turning at will, showing her well established skills, as her young babies try to keep up. Playfully moving among the currents, chasing fish and learning how to perfect their skills as hunters and also survivers.

On the forest floor lies a large Northern Death Adder.... He lies in waiting among the fallen leaves and debris, waiting to strike anything that moves. He is hungry and willing to wait until the right moment. He is surrounded by leaves and can not see that he has company.... many leaf frogs, also sit on the forest floor, their hearts racing, they attempt to slow their heart rate to avoid detection. For they know, as soon as they move, they may become someone else's tucker.....and so the great Stand Off begins.... who will make the first move ? This can only go two ways.... A snake left hungry by giving away his position, or a frog leaping for the final time onto the dinner plate for a hungry snake....... Who will win The Stand Off ?

Reach for the Stars - Life is short .... It is important for us as human beings to understand just how fragile and short life really is. We often take it for granted and too often never reach our true potential because we are so preoccupied with worrying about what other people will think and whether or not we will fail. Now is the time to Reach for the Stars, and give it everything we have. Always remember that will out failure, success will never be achieved, and in the end what do we have to lose or learn? Take the plunge, take the leap of faith and who knows what your life may bring. So get out there and get what's yours and Reach for the Stars..

Green Sea Turtle

Every single woman and girl has a warrior just waiting to get out. This artwork represents the strength and delicate side of the female species. On the one hand, they can be soft, vulnerable and delicate like a feather. On the other hand, they can be fierce and strong, taking on the world. Women and girls have always had to fight twice as hard to be recognised in the work place, or on the sporting field.... Now is the time of the Princess Warrior to rule, be seen and be heard. So Be loud and proud Princess Warrior, let us hear you roar.

Platypus Playground : While man sits by the fire, two hunters lay waiting by the watering hole, where the kangaroos and emus frequent along their well worn tracks. The hunters wait patiently, for the right opportunity to grab a meal for the rest of their tribe. Unaware of the ensuing dangers to the other animals, the platypus plays in the river, and watches over the Roos and Emus, as they dance around each other, taking it in turns to grab a drink. He knows that as long as the hunters are busy hunting the Roos and Emus, he will be free to play and enjoy the cool waters of the ever flowing river.

Japanese ice kanji flag

We all come to a point in our lives where we are at a crossroads. A place where a decision will ultimately change the course of our lives. We will often steer clear of the road less traveled, but without taking that leap of faith, we may never realise our true destiny. These crossroads should never be a point of feeling anxious or despair, rather a multitude of opportunities for us to venture into the unknown and to provide us with growth and pure fulfillment.

There are times when we can be surrounded by loved ones but we still feel alone. We also feel like the people around us are living a better more fulfilling life. This is purely perspective.

"Kaleidoscope Pt 2" A kaleidoscope constantly changes, as you turn it. It is the same thing with our lives, as we make changes, slight adjustments and turn certain ways, so too, do our lives. Never fixed in one set spectrum, always an opportunity to make new colours and patterns

This artwork represents our Aboriginal people's struggles and sacrifice in the name of protecting our land. From our first people who fought against European settlement, to our service men and women today, who continue to lay their lives on the line to protect our way of life.

Aboriginal ancestral Dreaming spirit.

Pathway to Devastation - Blue A cyclone tears through the landscape, destroying everything within its pathway, leaving nothing but devastation. It's erratic behavour, choosing to leave some areas untouched, whilst it levels others. Just as we should be wary of cyclones, we should also be wary of toxic, negative people, who show little regard for those around them, and will destroy many in order to grow their own egos and step on anyone in their pathway in order to achieve their own goals. The devastation can be random, but there is always a pattern, the key is to recognise the warning signs and steer clear for your own safety and well being.

One day four young Honeys Ants set out to gather food for their colony, along their way, they come across a mob of young Kangaroos playing by a water hole. They ask the kangaroos if they knew where they could find some sweet nectar for their hungry colony. The largest of the Roos stop chasing his companions and stated "Follow the river until you come to the Golden Light, it is there you will find the large nectar tree, full of goodness that you seek. Being young and foolish, the Honey Ants believed the large Roo and headed on down the rivers edge. The Large Roo began to laugh and went back to chasing his friends. After some time, the Honey Ants reached the Golden Light, but instead of finding a large tree full of sweet nectar, they...

This artwork is the sequel piece t Land Before Time. It represents the invasion of white man to Australia, and the blood shed that saw many of our first nation's people and their languages disappear. We Should Never Forget Them.

Alice down under in Australia

The Great Divide represents the struggles and triumphs between man and woman. The Blue section represents man, the Pink section represents woman. In each coloured section is all the individual things that attracts us to one another, our individual pieces that make up our whole persona, the white and black section in the middle (The Great Divide) represents the middle ground between man and woman. It holds all of our fears, our insecurities, our passion for one another, and also our hatred for the little faults we see in each other. We can only close this great divide, when we begin to talk and understand what brought us together in the first place. The pink section being larger, is deliberate. It represents the willingness for woman t...

Warriors of Manly - This artwork represents the naming of Manly Cove. When Captain Phillip first sailed into Manly Cove, and made contact with the local Indigenous population, The Gayamagal people, he would begin to trade with them, Phillips would supply the local men with tobacoo, alcohol and other products, and the locals would provide Phillips with large slabs of Whale meat. Phillips would note that these warriors were extremely strong and Manly in stature and therefore named it Manly Cove. In the artwork, there is a sunrise with warriors, standing upon the middens (a buildup of shell and bone) found along the coastlines where the Gayamagal would frequently hunt and fish. The black lines running into this area, represents the trails...

Stolen represents the Aboriginal Stolen Generation. For decades Aboriginal children have been removed from their homes and placed in the care of white families, with authorities believing they are doing these children a favour. In reality, these kids become lost between two worlds. They are no longer Black children, as they are brought up learning white man's ways, yet they are not white children, because their appearance will always be that of a black child. The end result is a child that can be caught between two worlds, with no connection to either.

"Forces of Nature" There are no forces more powerful than those of nature. This artwork represents the ever changing environment, the blue represents the powerful storms and rain that lash the land, at the other end of the scale is the soaring heat and bush fires that at times wipe the earth clean. A single white line represents the power of lightning and its devastating affect on our landscape causing fire and destruction. Among this all, a section of green, representing the regrowth, this also represents new beginnings. This is a little like our own lives, we are pulled in many directions, we are beaten down, we make mistakes, but in the end, there is always regrowth, new beginnings, a chance to learn from what we experience and grow.

Koori's Kick Arse - We are no longer thought of as second class citizens, we are the oldest living culture in the World.

A tribute to a rugby league legend. This artwork represents Cliff Lyon's rugby league journey from his humble beginnings as a 12 year old playing for the Gundagai Tigers, to his days playing first grade for the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. On the left of the artwork is Cliff front and centre on Brookvale oval surrounded by his adoring fans. The large grey circles that are joined by the wavy dotted lines, represent every club he played for from juniors righ through to representative honors. The Lizard is Cliff's totem and holds stats from his playing career. The front legs has 102 dots, his Hall of Fame inductee number. The back legs 80 dots, the total number of tries he scored for Manly. The body has 5 and 6 dots running down each side, t...

Returning to Gods Country