My painting, The Last Bogong Moth Feast depicts men, women and children catching moths and cooking them on a fire, in front of a cave. I am telling this story because the Bogong Moth is now on the endangered species list and I want future generations of children to know about them. They were a main food source for my ancestors and we used to eat them. We need to take better care of our environment, the land and all that lives and grows on this Country before its all gone.

Deanne Gilson is an Aboriginal artist and cultural educator of Wadawurrung and English descent. She completed a Bachelor of Visual Arts (Hons) and a Diploma of Education at Federation University, along with a Master of Arts and a PhD by research at Deakin University, in Victoria.

Her award-winning arts practice has spanned over four decades and has seen her artwork collected here and abroad, with some highlights including the National Gallery of Victoria, the Koorie Heritage Trust, the Art Gallery of Ballarat, the National Wool Museum and the Deakin University art collection, to name a few.

Gilson's practice is inspired by daily walks on Wadawurrung Dja (Country) and seeks to reclaim back and give a voice to her ancestral knowledge, including that of her matriarchal women. Overturning issues created by the male and female gaze, with the aim to create new pathways for Indigenous women to tell their stories from a place of truth-telling and equality that have not previously been heard.

*Please note artwork will not be shipped until after the 2024 Finalist Exhibition which ends in mid-October 2024.