Staff
Kent Morris
Kent is a Barkindji man, a graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts and an alumnus of the Wesfarmers Indigenous Arts Leadership Program. He has over 20 years experience as a practising artist and curator and has specialist knowledge of, and connections within, the Indigenous Australian arts and culture industry. Kent has a strong interest in the educational and healing potential of the arts and in 2011 joined The Torch to design, develop and deliver the Indigenous Arts in Prisons and Community program.
Paul Mc Cann
Paul is a Marrithiyel man and a traditional landowner of the South West region of the Daly River (Northern Territory). Paul is a talented emerging artist who joined the Victorian Justice Department as an Indigenous Prison Officer then moved into an Aboriginal Wellbeing Officer role to better assist the Aboriginal community. Paul provides art and cultural support to Indigenous inmates across Victoria.
Sean Miller
Sean is a Kamilaroi man who is now living in Melbourne. Sean brings a diverse range of art practices to The Torch having worked across a range of mediums over the past 25 years. Sean has a Certificate III in Graphic Arts and has designed The Torch’s Confined catalogues the past 3 years. Sean’s preference for his artwork is working with ceramics. Sean was a finalist in the 2016 Indigenous Ceramic Art Awards, and his ceramics have also been acquired by the National Gallery of Victoria and Shepparton Art Museum for their collections. Sean provides art, cultural and mentoring support to Indigenous inmates across Victoria.
Ray Thomas
Ray is a Gunnai man with a long-standing and successful art practice and a background in community support programs. Ray won the Victorian Indigenous Art Awards in 2013 with a portrait of his mother and recently worked as the Cultural Lead at Bunjilwarra, a Koorie Youth Residential AOD Healing centre on the Mornington Peninsula. Ray runs The Torch’s In-Community program which provides art cultural and arts vocational support to Indigenous men and women who are transitioning back to the community after incarceration in Victoria.
Robby Wirramanda
Robby is a Wergaia man who has a strong background in the arts since a very young age. spanning painting, photography, carving, ceramics and music. Robby was introduced to The Torch whilst incarcerated in Barwon prison. Robby now provides art cultural and arts vocational support to Indigenous men and women who are transitioning back to the community in the north western region of Victoria.
Chris Keeler
Chris has over 20 years of experience working in the field of Indigenous cultural heritage at the Koorie Heritage Trust and Museum Victoria, including researching, writing and editing cultural resources, project managing exhibitions and managing cultural collections. Her role at The Torch is to research and produce program resources and assist with the management of artworks and exhibitions.
Debra Lyon
Deb is an accountant with over 20 years experience in both the corporate and not for profit sectors and most recently held the position of Finance and Operations Manager at the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA). Deb brings experience in supporting smaller organisations during rapid periods of growth and is responsible for managing The Torch’s finance, governance, operations and administration.
Nerissa Broben
Nerissa has worked with the Victorian Koorie community for many years in the areas of education, art and cultural heritage. As the Senior Curator of Collections at the Koorie Heritage Trust for over 12 years, she brings project management, collection management and curatorial experience to the Torch team. Nerissa’s role at The Torch is to manage the artworks, art sales, licensing, commissions & provide exhibition support.
Sarah Barrow
Sarah has over 10 years of experience in the arts and culture sector, in positions spanning arts facilitation, project management and collection management. She also has experience working alongside a number of remote Indigenous communities, where she supported the development of creative enterprises. Sarah holds a master of art curatorship, and with this experience helps to coordinate The Torch’s artwork and sales.