Artist celebrates human connection

A Logan-based First Nations artist is using her talent to connect staff and students from her former school with Indigenous Australian culture.

As a 2016 graduate of Carinity Education Southside at Sunnybank, Stevie O’Chin was pleased to design a new shirt for employees of Queensland not-for-profit Carinity.

Not only are the employees embracing the new Indigenous-themed polo shirt as part of their work uniform, its popularity has led to a second round of orders.

Stevie has exhibited at Birrunga Gallery in Brisbane, which specialises in art by Indigenous Australian creatives, and sold artwork to collectors around Australia and overseas.

Stevie says her shirt design incorporates themes such as community, human connection, and God’s love.

Above: A Carinity staff member models the new shirt design by Logan artist Stevie O’Chin.

‘Circles and lines represent the many services that interconnect through Carinity’s core values of creating communities where people are loved, accepted, and supported to reach their full potential,’ Stevie says.

‘The yellow dots and connecting lines depict the attributes of God’s love that characterise God’s compassion, patience, protectiveness, sacrificing, kindness, understanding, forgiveness, and gentleness. The lines between the interconnected services represent Carinity staff bridging the divide through their respect, care and support.’

Carinity’s Marketing and Communications Manager, Brett Maunder, says the polo shirts were devised with the support and input of First Nations people who work for Carinity.

‘As well as numerous staff members, many service users and students who attend Carinity Education schools are from Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander backgrounds,’ Brett says.

Photo at top: Artist Stevie O’Chin revisiting the Carinity Education Southside art room.