Mick Harding belongs to the Yeerun-Illam-Baluk clan of the Taungurung people. He lives with his family in the rolling foothills of Gippsland’s Strzelecki ranges, a short drive from Morwell National Park, and is an active member of the Taungurung, local and Victorian Indigenous communities. From a very young age, Mick demonstrated a strong talent as a sketch artist. Through a journey of discovery about his own heritage and many years of honing his artistic talents, Mick has become a skilled artisan creating high quality works in his purpose built studio-workshop on the family property.

Mick draws his inspiration from the compelling legends of his people, and weaves the images of those legends into each of his artworks. He creates unique woodcrafts and highly expressive canvases, and each piece is a unique original. He adds great value by appending a story about the development of each individual piece. The story provides an overview of the legend depicted by the image, creating a link between the viewer and the Indigenous culture. In the case of woodcraft, Mick also details the source of the timber used, linking the artwork to the environment it came from. These steps add great value for the purchaser, by providing with a clear cultural link to Indigenous heritage, and fostering a greater understanding of that heritage.

Mick has devoted copious hours to developing both his woodcraft and drawing skills, and learning the specialist techniques employed by skilled artisans. From this learning he has developed his own individual style, which comes through clearly in each of his works.

After learning about his Indigenous heritage, Mick set out on a journey of discovery that continues to this day. Through working closely with his own Taungurung people, he has developed a strong understanding of Indigenous culture, and has learned to appreciate the ties between the land, its flora and fauna, and man’s responsibility to protect the land and maintain the intricate and delicate relationships that exist there. This learning can be seen in the artworks Mick creates, each linked to a legend and challenging the viewer to understand their place in the story.

	MY COMMUNITY Mick Harding belongs to the Yowung-Illam and Yerrun-Illam-Baluk clans of the Taungurung people - a tribe of the Kulin nation. Mick is an active member of his community and activities include: Member of the Australian Heritage Council (AHC) Director of Native Title Services Victoria (NTSV)
	CULTURAL EXCHANGE Commonwealth Games 2006. Mick was the Lead Artist in the Taungurung Possum Skin Cloak exhibition and event during the Commonwealth Games 2006 Opening Ceremony.
	MY WORKSHOP My workshop means a lot to me as it allows my creativity and skills to express themselves.
	MY BUSINESS Establishing my business has been a exciting journey for me and with the help of ... My aim is to build my business and continue to contribute to the Indigenous Art community in Australia.
	MY AWARDS & EXHIBITIONS I have had the pleasure of exhibiting my work in a number of events and the honour of receiving awards for my work. Recent highlights include exhibiting my work at the Tribal Expressions Showcase during the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. Also contributing to the Possum Skin Cloaks which featured in the Games Opening Ceremony. See my Awards and Exhibitions page for more details.

GALLERY - SKETCHES

cultural exchange

my workshop

my business

awards

gallery of sketches