On 13 October 2007, Shane Pickett Meeyakba presented his artist day address during Culture Warriors : National Indigenous ArtTriennial at the National Gallery in Canberra.

During his talk he stated that he was on a healing path. Pickett would often say that ‘Healing is the most important part of any artwork and the message is loud and clear and very bright and narrative in some cases.

It was Pickett’s belief that healing was needed before reconciliation could occur. He went on to say that ‘there’s a healing that has to happen, because of the damage to the people, the damage to the land, the damage to the Dreaming places in particular . It has to happen, and you can’t sweep it under the carpet, you can’t put it away somewhere else to bring back later.’

The exhibition HEALING STORIES presents some of the last paintings produced by this preeminent artist hung alongside some of his works that reference the Nyoongar seasons of Muguroo and Djilba. It might seem paradoxical that in the years whilst enduring increasing pain due to his rheumatoid arthritis, Pickett’s paintings increasingly addressed healing in various forms.Trips taken to visit significant sites in country and medicine grounds proved uplifting and inspirational to Pickett. He described how his canvases speak how people worry, speak about the colour of the sunset, speak about such things as if not looking after nature itself will create environmental consequences for all.

In producing these paintings Pickett would often use his hands to push the paint around the canvas. He described it as a ‘very, very ancient, old technique ,“ the healing manner ” once used to spread ochre on the body during ceremony. His gestural hand movements would capture the wind, the leaves, the flight of the birds, caressing the canvas as if he was stroking the land, travelling along dreaming paths, some lost and broken and in need of healing.

Shane Pickett was always on a journey, knowing that his spirit which connected him to the Dreamtime would also yearn and want to come back to his country. His artwork established that connection and allowed him to reach out to others.