About Paul Chapman

Paul Chapman - Kabbi Kabbi/Wakka Wakka Artist and Storyteller

I was born and raised in remote Eidsvold, Queensland, within a large extended family on my father’s mother’s property located on her ancestral Wakka Wakka land. My mother is from the Kabbi Kabbi people situated on the Sunshine Coast and hinterland. Our family still owns this property and I return whenever the opportunity arises.

From early childhood I was taught our Dreamtime and Dreaming stories from my Elders by creating drawings on the earth with charcoal, ash, leaves, flowers, small stones and sticks in the daylight hours. In keeping with the tradition of my ancestors I only paint during the day.  As a young man I painted on anything I could find and gave all my paintings away. When I became a father it was necessary to work to feed my growing family and there was no time to paint. I took up painting again in 2010 in rural Victoria where I have been a resident for nearly ten years. Now I am older and living away from my community I feel an urgency to share my people’s ancestral knowledge through the stories within my paintings for future generations.

While I am painting, my ancestors take me on a journey along our spiritual pathways. Wisdom comes through the veil in Spirit, with the rainbow surrounded by unconditional love, so that I can move through the Bundaiyan elements in oneness with Biralu, our Creator, and all creation to bring to life and share my people’s Dreaming in my paintings.

In contrast to my early days I now paint with good quality acrylics, on primed canvas, to preserve and pass on the integrity of my ancestral knowledge for future generations.