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The Jury Art Prize 2026
Feeding Season
Jaymee-Lee Chaquebor
Acrylic on canvas
"Boordan Mayi meaning bush food is a piece I did that represents how I grew up. My family would take us kids out on country to show and teach us about the different bush foods Bardi people would collect and eat. These foods are rich in vitamins. Some of the bushfoods on this piece — moonga (sugar bag), goordaarlga (white currant), illarr (white apple), Gubinge etc. All the colours I use have meaning, the blue and the way it's painted represents creeks, the white representing our beauful hills while the earthy tones
representing the bush blending as they meet." – Jaymee-Lee Chaquebor
Jaymee-Lee’s painngs are deeply rooted in Bardi culture, storytelling, and the connection between land and sea. Each artwork reflects knowledge passed down by Elders, showing how Bardi people use Country to guide hunting and fishing pracces. Her works feature culturally significant animals and bushfoods, representing survival, hunting, and seasonal knowledge.
About the Artist
Jaymee-Lee Chaquebor
Kimberley
“I moved to Bidyadanga because my partner is from here. It’s a crazy story (chuckling), but that’s for another day. I now have three beauful, crazy kids. I value my family and my culture first — and respect. Treat others how you want to be treated. Back then, we were taught to respect our Elders. These are the values I want to pass on to my kids. Bardi people learn to live off the land and the sea. We use certain plants to indicate which animals are good for eating. For example, the wattle flower tells us the mullet are good to eat; their fat and eggs are best when the wattle is flowering. My paintings are about how we use the land to hunt the sea. All the colours I use have meaning. I paint the stories I learn from my Elders, and my artwork reflects the colours and textures of the area and its fruits. What I am trying to do with my paintings is reconnect to a special place where I grew up. It’s a spiritual place for my daughter. My grandfather heard her cry there before I even told him I was pregnant.” – Jaymee-Lee Chaquebor
Jaymee-Lee is a Bardi Jawi woman from the Dampier Peninsula who grew up near the saltwater. She is both a painter and a fashion designer, creating works that reflect the landscapes, waters, and natural colours of her Country while celebrating Bardi culture. Group Exhibitions 2025, July Art Above the 26th, Broome Civic Centre