MALI ISOBEL

Language: Arabana & Kokatha 

Community: Tarntanya (Adelaide)

When I look up at the night sky, I think of you 

Mali Isobel

 Mali Isabel is an Arabana and Kokatha artist, living and practising on Kaurna land (Adelaide), Australia. 

In 2020, Mali graduated from a Bachelor of Arts (Primary Education) at Flinders University, before pursuing her career as a practising artist. Mali creates contemporary dot paintings using all colours of the rainbow to spread her message of positivity and equality. By combining her passions for education and painting, Mali hopes to achieve a greater understanding of culture and equity through her rainbow artworks. 

“I’ve always had a love for colours, how it can be used to compliment or contrast with another. Colour is everything, it is joy, it is energy, and it is soulful. But most importantly, I believe that nobody can feel sad while looking at a rainbow, and I want to spread that positivity around the world.” 

Through her combination of traditional dot painting, her hallmark use of colour, and contemporary style, Mali creates bright and magical artworks that aim to spread joy and positivity, encourage meaningful conversations, and share personal stories and worldly experiences. 

As a proud Arabana and Kokatha woman, Mali loves to draw inspiration from the land that surrounds her, capturing the environments and translating them into magical landscapes. Stories are deeply entwined in her paintings, many of which highlight feelings, themes, and experiences that transcend all cultures, races, and religions. The underlying goal of this is to embed the understanding that we are all human and deserve to be treated with equal respect and kindness. 

Mali was recently highly commended in the 2021 Our Mob Trevor Nickolls Art Prize and was also recently announced as the Adelaide Fringe’s first Aboriginal poster artist for 2022 – the first Aboriginal poster artist for the Adelaide Fringe in its 62-year history. 

Connect with Mail

Instagram @maliisabelart

Facebook www.facebook.com/malisabelart

Website www.maliisabelart.com