My name is Aaron, though most people know me as Aroona or Roony. I’m a proud Wotjobaluk man from the northwest of the Grampians, born in Horsham. Culture and painting have always been a powerful part of my life, guiding me since I was a young boy and continuing to shape who I am today.

My artwork is deeply connected to Country. I often paint five waterholes to represent the five tribes of my Country, along with the big river that runs through our land. Each element in my work tells a story, and I paint with purpose and meaning.

I only ever use four colours in my paintings. Black symbolises the ancestors who walked before us. Red oxide represents the land and the bloodshed during the massacres. Yellow oxide reflects the sun, and white stands for people—especially the youth—and honours the Rainbow Serpent.