Jack Macale (Loodgengardinge or Loodgebuddunge) is a Japilyi (mother’s side) and Japanungka (father’s side) man from the Biridu Community / Prairie Hill, Fitzroy Crossing. Jack was born in Subiaco but was raised in Fitzroy Crossing. His art style includes landscapes, dot painting, drawings, ochre, silhouette and abstract. Topics include his family, private life, land, grandparents, hunting, the change of seasons and the past of his people. "My work comes from the heart," Macale said. "Every painting has a story and the colour speaks to people."
Skin: Mother’s side: Japilyi | Father’s Side: Japanungka Name: Jack Macale Aboriginal Name: Loodgengardinge / Loodgebuddunge Tribes: Bunuba, Walmajarri, Kija, Djara and Wanyjrra Home: Fitzroy Crossing Country: Biridu Community / Prairie Hill Totem: Brown Snake / The King Brown DOB: 4/12/1978 Family History: I spent most of my childhood in Fitzroy Crossing with my mother’s family, the Bunuba and Walmajarri People. My maternal grandfather was a Tribal Bunuba spokesperson and a Leader. My Grandma, Daisy Andrews, was a Walmajarri woman from the Canning Stock Route area; she won a lot of awards, but one of her most prominent was the 1994 Telstra Award Winner. She was pronounced a National Living Treasure in 2004. To this day, she is highly recognized in not only the art world, but also in the community where she contributed with for her entire life.
My Grandfather, Adam Andrews, was a Bunuba man. We are the distant descendants of the Legendary Freedom Fighter “Jandamarra” who protected our scared sites and our ancestors, and fought against the white men. My father’s country is in the East Kimberley area and Northern Territory, and was born at a place called Binanyi (Inverway Settlement) Wanyjirra / Kiju and Djaru connections. My paternal Grandma, Tiny Macale, was also a well-known artist.
Biography: I was born in Subiaco down in Perth. I have a twin brother, and back then in the 70’s all the twins had to be born down in there from the Kimberley. I grew up here in Fitzroy Crossing, in Junjuwa community. We moved to my grandfather’s country and started Biridu community in the early 90s when the land was given back. Back in school I was always into sports but I won my first art award back in 1990 when I was in school here in Fitzroy. My very first award I won for my art was when I was a secondary student at Fitzroy Crossing District High School in 1991. In 2006 I moved to perth and worked as an art teacher’s aid for one year. The teacher noticed that I was good at painting and it was during this time that I started to take my painting seriously. I started painting from the heart with anger, missing my country but then I noticed some of my paintings were too confronting. I started painting my ancestor’s country, dream time, and stories of Jundamarra.
I prefer sharing these stories now with people. I started drawing with a metallic pen on art paper, and about a year after that I started using acrylics on canvas. I still use these artistic methods in the present day. I won many awards that year (2006). I started painting with Mangkaja Arts in 2010 and also with Warmun Art Centre in 2011 when I moved back to Turkey Creek for a while. A lot of my paintings are based on our historical early days of colonization error, and with our everyday lifestyle when going out hunting and gathering for bush tucker. Art is not a hobby for me; it’s life now, where I can share and tell my stories to the world.