MY JOURNEY 

 My name is Kiz Costelloe (in middle) and I am a proud Mandandanji and Noonuccal woman. I was born and raised in Rockhampton, Queensland with my mum and sister, Nysh (on right). 
Mum always made sure we were connected to our family and culture growing up, which I will forever be grateful for. My elders are my biggest inspirations. Getting to carry on my Uncle’s legacy by pursuing art and sharing his name and stories is something I value very deeply.
 

I wasn’t always artistic though, Nysh was the artist growing up, and I was the copy cat. I’d never understand how she could keep inside the lines and just draw what came to her mind. She has taught me a lot and has been a massive part of my journey, and one of the main reasons I’ve made it this far. The first time I ever really painted was when I was visiting my cousin, Nakita (left of pic) back in 2018 and our aunty gave us rocks to paint. We painted for days, spending time with each other and making some good memories. That's where my love for art really began.
 

In 2020, Nysh and I weren’t able to work for a period of time due to COVID-19. We used the spare time we had, which was a lot, to work together and do art for our close family and friends. 

Once COVID-19 passed over, I got a full time job working with Deadly Choices where I had the opportunity to learn more about our culture.

I used my knowledge in art and health to make a small difference in our community by teaching people of all ages to believe in themselves and teaching them that they can do whatever they put their minds to. I knew this is what I loved doing, so with a lot of support, motivation and self-belief, here I am showing my art to people all over the country.

It’s a dream come true 🤍

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