Maliyaa Dhaay Yananhi Yulugi – (Where Friends Come to Play)

This painting is all about Hybrid Fitness Grafton and the community it provides it’s members. It depicts all aspects
of health and fitness and the motto “Walk in prepared, walk out proud”.

 

In the middle of the painting is the physical gym itself with people meeting there. The kangaroo tracks at the
top and bottom define the “walk in prepared” aspect and the kangaroo tracks to the side of the ‘gym’ exemplify
“walk out proud”.

 

The circles to the edge that the dots lead to are the stories of all the different communities, groups, families and walks of life that it’s members are a part of. This was inspired by Hybrid Fitness Grafton truly being a place for everybody to come and where anybody is welcome.

 

In my art I use white when representing something that is ‘spiritual’ or ‘special’. In this painting I have used white dots
to border the gym, the motto and communities of it’s members to represent it’s significance and that it is a place
where it’s members are valued and always feel welcome.

 

Outside this border are the men’s and women’s symbols. These have purposefully been separated to tell the story of
the workouts and the different scaling weights and levels for the men and women. The women’s symbols are at the
top and have digging sticks and the men’s down the bottom have boomerangs and spears.

 

At the very top and bottom are the patterns that represent important aspects of achieving a balanced lifestyle; these
are nutritious nourishing foods and socialising in groups of people.

 

All of this comes together to represent that to achieve a healthy, balanced life it is important for people to feel a part
of a community, nourish their bodies with healthy foods and to move their bodies regularly. At Hybrid Fitness Grafton
it’s members are supported to and encouraged to work towards all of these with it not only being a place about health
and fitness but it also values social connection.

 

About the Artist : Madeleine Richey

Madeleine is a Kamilaroi artist living in Grafton on Bundjalung country. She is a proud Aboriginal yinarr (woman) who’s family originally were from Toomelah in North Western NSW. As a young man, during the times of the stolen generation, her Pop made the move to Tenterfield and that is where her parents both originated. Her Pop, Uncle Neville Binge was an accomplished artist himself specialising in watercolour landscape pieces. Through her art, Maddy likes to tell the stories of her childhood, country and feelings at the time as well as the stories of those who she paints for.