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- Artist: Natasha Lloyd
- Title: Dancing Dugongs
- Size: 65cm x 90cm
- Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
- Region: Mullewa, WA. Broome, WA
Dancing Dugongs
Dugongs travelling together across the saltwater north of Broome are part of an old adventure my dad shared—one shaped by the tides, the reef, and the deep knowledge of Jabirr Jabirr Country. He was out on the ocean one morning, doing what our people have always done: hunting, gathering, and reading the water like a map passed down through generations.
As he drifted along the coastline, two dugongs appeared beside the boat. They moved with the calm confidence of old wise spirits, rising to the surface - following the rhythm of the sea and each other. Then the adventure began. The dugongs circled the boat, dancing in slow, powerful movements. They placed seaweed on their heads like ceremonial headdresses, as if preparing for a dance.
The linework and patterns in the dugongs reflect the stories and traditional designs of Jabirr Jabirr Country— where our ancestors travelled the currents, the dunes, the reef systems, and the pathways. The shells scattered along the shoreline are reminders of the old people, the tides, and the way Country always leaves signs for those who know how to look.
Inside the dugongs, the turtles represent my signature—my three daughters—who travel with me in every story and every artwork. They are part of my journey, just as the dugongs were part of my dad’s.
The pastel colours bring softness to the piece, echoing the gentle relationship between the dugongs and the calm waters of Broome. The yellow lines flowing through the background represent drifting seaweed, tying the artwork back to that moment on the ocean when two dugongs shared their dance with my dad.
Natasha Lloyd
Natasha Lloyd is a contemporary Aboriginal artist whose work reflects deep connections to both desert wildflower and saltwater Country, drawing on family stories, lived experiences and intergenerational cultural knowledge. Through vibrant colour, layered symbolism and storytelling, her paintings explore themes of identity, memory, Country and cultural continuity.
An established artist with exhibitions presented both locally and interstate, Natasha has developed a strong contemporary practice that moves across fine art, textiles and design. Her artworks have been reproduced for clothing, textiles and wall hangings, bringing contemporary Aboriginal art into fashion and interior design spaces while continuing to share stories of Country and culture through new mediums.
Natasha’s artistic achievements have been recognised through Top End NAIDOC honours as Artist of the Year, acknowledging her contribution to contemporary Indigenous art practice. She is also a recipient of the prestigious David Blanasi Acquisitive Art Award, recognising the strength and significance of her artistic work within the Northern Territory arts community.
As the daughter of Faye Parriman, a respected Yamatji and Noongar artist, educator and Stolen Generations survivor, Natasha’s practice is deeply informed by storytelling, resilience and cultural survival. Her artistic influences are also strongly connected to her father, Kevin Parriman, a respected Jabirr Jabirr/Ngumbarl and Yawuru carver, storyteller and cultural educator from the West Kimberley. His teachings, stories and strong connection to saltwater Country continue to shape the family’s artistic and cultural practices.
Natasha’s work reflects the richness of these combined cultural influences. Having spent significant time on both saltwater and desert wildflower Country with family, her paintings capture memories of place, seasonal changes, family journeys and cultural teachings shared across generations. Through her contemporary Aboriginal art practice, she honours inherited stories while also expressing her own lived experiences and evolving connection to Country.
As both an artist and mother, Natasha has played a significant role in nurturing the creative practices of her daughters Celina Lloyd, Leticia Lloyd and Jessica Lloyd. Together, they continue an evolving intergenerational family dialogue through art, grounded in storytelling, cultural learning and shared experiences on Country.
In Beyond Everlastings, Natasha presents works that speak to family memory, cultural strength and the enduring relationships between land, sea and sky Country. Her paintings contribute to the exhibition’s broader exploration of intergenerational knowledge, resilience and the continuation of cultural storytelling through contemporary Aboriginal art.
