Artist Profile — Miranda Hampson
“I am of Aboriginal descent (Anaiwan). I am the great-granddaughter of Joan Jones (nee Richardson), whose mother was Annie Murray, an Aboriginal woman born at Nundle, NSW. I am recognised as part of the Aboriginal community at Uralla (oorala - meeting place/camp - where people come together). My totem is the echidna. I am currently practicing on Dharawal Country.
I hold a Bachelor of Arts (Photography) and a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Science (Parks, Recreation and Heritage), with First Class Honours from Charles Sturt University. In a past life, I worked in Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management and Archaeology. I grew up on the North Coast on Gumbayngirr Country (Coffs Harbour) and have a strong affinity with the ocean. My father was a marine engineer and my parents met scuba diving, therefore I spent the early years of my childhood on boats and in rock pools. I was very blessed with an amazing childhood early on. From 10 yrs old and onwards, I struggled with my parents’ divorce and my father’s overseas move, which set me up with a lot of unresolved childhood trauma and mental health issues. That’s probably why my grandmothers got me into art.....to keep me out of trouble. Today, I am a mother to four beautiful children, and am married to Christian - a Woiwurrung and Maneroo man and CEO/Co-founder of Yerrabingin. Where there is trauma, there is also an opportunity to grow and heal. My art practice works through what happened as well as what didn’t happen, but also allows me to connect with others, as we all experience trauma, pain and suffering — this is part of the human experience. I hope you can also see and feel the beauty of it — I paint with the aesthetics of nature and culture.
Most recently, in what has been a wonderful and very full 2024, my art has received the major prize in the Best of City and Country Art (BOCCA) 2024, and I have been a finalist in the National Emerging Art Prize, the Meroogal Women’s Art Prize, the Fishers Ghost Art Award, the Northern Beaches Art Prize, the LEDA Gallery Art Prize, the National Contemporary Art Prize and the Goulburn Art Award.” - Miranda Hampson
