A Story to Tell
In A Story to Tell, artist Laurel Nannup brings to life her childhood in a large Aboriginal family.
While her stories include a time spent at the Wandering Mission, their main focus is on memories of family life: picnics, roaming through the bush, sharing campfire tales, and events such as buying a new dress and her first communion.
A Story to Tell is illustrated with Laurel’s striking woodcuts and etchings, which, together with a selection of photographs, complement the warm and affectionate humour of her story.
'These stories are of my experiences as a young child and a teenager. I feel I need to leave some stories behind.' – Laurel Nannup
Laurel Nannup was born in Carrolup, Western Australia in 1943. She completed postgraduate studies at Curtin University of Technology (now Curtin University) Perth, in 2001 after graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (Fine Arts) in 2000. Laurel has participated in a number of exhibitions including solo exhibition Boodja (country), Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (2005); Nyungar, Moores building, Fremantle (2003); and Shell Print Awards, Fremantle Arts Centre (2002). Laurel has also been the recipient of a number of public and private commissions. Most recently, a collection of Laurel’s artworks are being exhibited at the State Library of Western Australia (2023). The exhibition is titled: Laurel Nannup: What Road Are You Going To Take? after Laurel’s 2001 artwork of the same name.
