Sally Morgan (artist)

Sally Morgan is an artist and a writer. She makes art and tells many stories. Her books tell the truth about her family. One book is called My Place. It tells how she found her roots. She also writes books for children. Some of her art is even on a stamp. People all over the world can see her work. She is a very important person in Australia.

Sally Morgan is an artist and a writer from Australia. She was born in Perth in 1951. She grew up with her mother and grandmother. For a long time, Sally did not know her true roots. Her mother told her they were from India. But when Sally was 15, she learned the truth. She and her siblings are of Aboriginal descent. This means they belong to the first people of Australia.

Sally wrote a famous book called My Place. It tells the story of her family. The book tells about hard times for many people. It talks about children taken from their mothers. This book sold over half a million copies! She also wrote a book about her grandfather. It is called Wanamurraganya.

Sally makes art, too. Her print called Outback is very special. It was chosen to be on a stamp. A stamp is a small picture used on mail. People use these to celebrate human rights. Sally also writes books for children. She often works with other artists to make them. Her work is kept in many museums around the world.

Sally Morgan is a famous Australian Aboriginal artist and writer. She uses her words and art to share important stories. Her work helps people understand the history of her people. Many people around the world collect her art in museums. She is also a director at a university center. This center focuses on Indigenous history and the arts.

Sally writes books that tell true stories about her family. One very famous book is called My Place. It tells how she discovered her real family history. This book sold more than 500,000 copies in Australia. It was also shared in Europe, Asia, and the United States. She also writes plays and books for children. Many of these books feature beautiful art from other people.

Sally's life changed when she was a young teenager. She was born in Perth, Western Australia, in 1951. Her mother, Gladys, was from the Bailgu people. For a long time, Sally thought her family was from India. She only learned she was Aboriginal when she was 15. This discovery was a big part of her life story. Her family includes many successful people like her sister Helen.

Sally has won many special awards for her hard work. In 1987, her book won a human rights award. She also won the Order of Australia Book Prize in 1990. Her art is recognized by the whole world, too. In 1993, her print called Outback was very famous. It was chosen to be on a stamp. This stamp celebrates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Her work connects history to the people living today. She works with her children, Ambelin, Blaze, and Ezekiel. They have written books together as a family. Sally also works with artists like Bronwyn Bancroft. They make books like Dan's Grandpa for young readers. Her life shows how stories can bring people together. She is one of the most important people in Western Australia.

Sally Jane Morgan is a prominent Australian Aboriginal author, dramatist, and artist. Her creative work spans many different forms, including novels, plays, and visual art. Through these mediums, she shares profound stories about identity, family, and history. Her works are held in numerous private and public collections across Australia and the globe. She also serves as a director at the Centre for Indigenous History and the Arts at the University of Western Australia. This role allows her to continue connecting cultural heritage with academic study.

Morgan's personal journey involves a significant discovery regarding her heritage. Born in Perth, Western Australia, in 1951, she was the eldest of five children. For much of her childhood, her mother, Gladys, described their ancestry as Indian-Bangladeshi. This was because Gladys was a member of the Bailgu people from the Pilbara region. She had grown up in the Parkerville Children's Home as part of the Stolen Generations. It was not until Morgan was 15 years old that she learned her true Aboriginal descent. This revelation became a central theme in her later literary career.

Her writing often focuses on the complexities of family history and social truth. Her most famous work is the multiple biography titled My Place, published in 1987. This book tells the story of her discovery of her family's past. It describes the experiences of children taken from their mothers and the fear caused by skin color. The book was a massive success, selling over 500,000 copies in Australia alone. It also reached readers in Europe, Asia, and the United States.

Morgan has also explored history through specific biographical works and children's literature. She wrote Wanamurraganya, which serves as a biography of her grandfather. She has also collaborated with illustrator Bronwyn Bancroft on several children's books. Examples of these collaborations include Dan's Grandpa, published in 1996. Her children, Ambelin, Blaze, and Ezekiel Kwaymullina, have also co-authored works with her. This shows how storytelling can be a shared family endeavor.

Her artistic skill extends into the realm of visual printmaking and fine art. In 1993, international art historians recognized her print titled Outback. This piece was selected as one of 30 paintings or sculptures for reproduction on a stamp. This specific stamp was created to celebrate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. She also won the joint Fremantle Print Award in 1993 alongside Bevan Honey. Her art is now preserved in institutions like the Australian National Gallery and the Dobell Foundation.

Throughout her career, Morgan has received many prestigious honors for her contributions. In 1987, My Place won a Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission humanitarian award. She later won the Order of Australia Book Prize in 1990. Her books have also been recognized as Notable Books by the Children's Book Council of Australia in 1998, 2012, and 2022. In 2023, The West Australian newspaper named her one of the 100 people who shaped the state. This list included other significant figures like health activist Fiona Stanley and politician Carmen Lawrence.

Morgan's work connects the personal experiences of individuals to much larger historical systems. By writing about the Stolen Generations, she addresses the impact of government policies on Aboriginal families. Her academic work at the University of Western Australia helps preserve these histories. She also writes plays, such as Cruel Wild Woman, which were performed during the 1999 Festival of Perth. Her career demonstrates how art can serve as a tool for both personal healing and public education. She remains a vital figure in the cultural landscape of Australia.