As a First Nation, Ballardong, Yamatji, Noongar Australian, his cultural connection to country stretches from one end of Western Australia to the other.

He is an intuitive artist which means his work evolves from within his cultural connection to boodja (country).

Spirit connects with brush as colours, shapes and visual stories emerge organically.

Inexplicably drawn to painting the pathways and connections he sees between rocks, the lay of the land, and ancient river beds, he has been subconsciously re-tracing the journeys of his traditional ancestors with his abstract landscapes.

When he discovered he is a direct descendant of John Septimus Roe, he realised that his passion for boodja, his inquisitive nature, and the unyielding desire to explore, is the influence of both sides of his genetic make-up.

For Syd, reconciliation starts with the acceptance that we are all connected either by blood or by circumstance. In the documentary Finding Moort (family), he looks back along the paths travelled by his ancestors and connect the dots between his Noongar and English heritage. When moort is connected, we can all move forward.

Meet the Team

Sydney Phillips

Karen is SJ Phillips Art CEO; she is a writer, editor, budding photographer, educator, concept developer, muse, critic, and the doer of all things that don’t involve holding a paintbrush. To quote a Facebook trope, Karen is a:

“Tree hugging, flower sniffing, animal kissing, planet loving dirt worshipper”          

Her passion now is to empower individuals and groups through story and creativity. Others describe Karen as a natural born mentor, she will shrug that off. However, the evidence is her willingness to facilitate and participate in community initiatives, and her unwavering passion for engaging with and encouraging those at a sociological disadvantage.

Karen does not like talking about herself, particularly in the third person…