Song Circles

‘Song Circles’ (pictured), was inspired by an audio book called ‘Dune’ by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Henderson. It included a commentary
about the original ‘Dune’ author in 1965, Frank Herbert and related his adventures at aged 9yrs and his friendship with a Native American man. Consequently, Frank wrote ‘Soul Catcher’ in 1972 about an Indian who could not accept the ways of white men. Herbert also wrote ‘Circle Times’ (unpublished) about the lives and the wars of the coastal Samish People. The title brought to my mind the Australian Aboriginal connection to country with their ‘Song Lines’ or singing to country. This interested me as an anthropologist. Hence, my new painting ‘Song Circles’. Yes, the name came before the image. I marked the canvas intuitively, choosing only three colours. I wanted to limit the palette, so I chose the colours of semi-precious gemstones that American Indians use in their decorations: Turquoise (Teal); Coral (red) and Green to represent the ecological message underlying all of Frank Herbert’s novels. All my paintings have an ecological message.”

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Pam Schultz is an award-winning representational fine artist. Her paintings are in the collection of national and international patrons. “My appreciation of art began at home in Melbourne, where I was fascinated by my grandmother’s oil paintings hanging on the walls. I started drawing earnestly around eight years old. I excelled at art in school and by grade 12, I was enrolled in a Diploma of Art at Caufield Institute of Technology (now Monash University). My first artistic job was a textile artist at a clothing factory in Melbourne. I designed textile patterns and took the illustrations overseas to England where I was based for three years. I travelled around Europe, West Asia and America visiting art galleries, stately homes and cathedrals. In London, I worked for an animation studio where I created illustrations for commercials. Back in Australia, I became enthralled by the tropical landscapes in North Queensland and became involved in lobbying for their protection through my art. Influenced by anthropology studies at university, I began to paint portraits in 2003. Then I began to choose people who were conservation ecologists as this theme suited my passion as one who aimed for the same goal. I worked in the field of natural resource management following the achievement of a PhD in Environmental Science. Amongst other recent commendations, I won first prize in 2019 for “The Ethnobotonist” in the competition Artists of the North in Cairns. In 2020, I received a high commendation for “Grasswren Country Laid Down” at the Cairns Regional Gallery.”