Dad by Scarlett Crowley

How often do you see a charcoal portrait with a traditional halo surrounding an Aboriginal man? This artwork juxtaposes the idea that such styles are reserved only for religious or white figures. The piece depicts my Dad, a significant influence in my life. Created with charcoal powder, willow charcoal, and charcoal pencils, it highlights the association of charcoal with Indigenous art and its traditional uses for pigments, resins, gums, and adhesives.

I aimed to blend traditional portraiture with the rawness of a real human face, using rough, fast pencil strokes to add texture and reflect the resilience of the man behind his work attire. The monochrome palette emphasises the dramatic effect of charcoal and links to Indigenous knowledge and history. Although his skin is integral to his identity—a proud Indigenous man and Australia’s first Indigenous Supreme Court Judge—I limit skin colour in many works to focus on the tonal range from light to dark. His quiet, contemplative stance and balanced, strong features convey the humble, reserved dad I know, beyond the public figure others see.