Women sitting near the campfire with their digging sticks by Joan Sultan, 15x34cm FJ502JoS

"Women Sitting Near the Campfire with Their Digging Sticks" by Joan Sultan is a visually striking piece that depicts women gathered around a campfire. In this artwork, the U-shapes represent women, the elongated shapes signify their digging sticks, and the circles symbolize waterholes. The intricate dots within dots create an optical playfulness, using the earthy tones of ochre, black, and white.

On the back of the canvas, Joan has handwritten the full title and provided a detailed description of the iconography, offering deeper insight into her creative process.

Joan Sultan hails from a family rich in artistic talent, including musicians and painters. Her brother, the accomplished painter Reg Sultan, played a pivotal role in encouraging her to pursue painting. This family support has deeply influenced Joan’s artistic journey.

Her artwork beautifully captures the essence of her cultural heritage, using traditional symbols to convey the stories and daily life of her community. Joan’s paintings are not only visually captivating but also serve as a medium to preserve and share the rich cultural traditions of her people.