Indigenous artist guiding the next generation of First Nations creatives
Indigenous artist Howard Butler has been sharing his skills, knowledge and passion with the CQ community for years, and now he’s mentoring upcoming Indigenous artists and businesspeople through the Whanu Binal program.
Whanu Binal is the brainchild of Arrow Energy and now a partnership with CQUniversity, supporting Indigenous entrepreneurs, executives and managers through a virtual yarning space, mentorship, and networking with peers and business accelerators. Like so many programs in the coronaverse, it’s now being delivered online.
Howard, known as Uncle Joe, said he was looking forward to sharing what he knows with the new program participants.
“I want to pass on all the information I have, all the knowledge,” he said.
“I’ve been a professional artist for many years, I’ve been commissioned to create artworks for businesses, I’ve also run art workshops at TAFE in Rockhampton and also at some correctional facilities with inmates, teaching them how to draw and paint, as well as cultural awareness.”
Howard now lives in Bowen after many years living in Rockhampton. He says he’s passed on his artistic knowledge and passion to his children.
“I have five kids and my youngest daughter who is 19 is an artist as well, who has participated in workshops overseas.
“We are often going overseas to run gatherings with other Indigenous artists in New Zealand, to collaborate with them and just talk art.”
He says he’s now planning to share his passion and the practicialities of an artist’s life with the Whanu Binal mentees.
“I’ll show them how to market their work and what to do when there are setbacks and knockbacks.
“I’ll let them know that these things can happen – you can sometimes start dropping away, but there are ways to overcome that and move forward.”
As well as signing on to be a mentor for the 2020 program, Mr Butler also developed the official program artwork, Building a Strong Foundation, which represents the student journey.
The 25 participants taking part in Whanu Binal program are already running their own business, or have a business idea to develop.
