GROWING up in Geraldton in the 1960s wasn't easy for indigenous artist Brian McKinnon.
And while many years have passed, reflecting on those times has resulted in the collection of artworks that Mr McKinnon currently has on display at a local art gallery.
'Brian McKinnon: My Story (navigating the space between races)' was officially opened at the Geraldton Regional Art Gallery (GRAG) on May 31 and will continue until Saturday, July 20.
The artist is a descendant of the Amungu and Wongai peoples, and has drawn on memories of his childhood, as well as historical and contemporary politics and events for inspiration.
As a child Brian lived in a fringe camp called Blood Alley at the foot of Mount Misery in Geraldton, where the makeshift shanties had dirt floors and no power or running water.
They had little furniture, with a cable drum and banana boxes for a table and chairs, and an open fire for cooking and heating.
As the eldest of four children it was his responsibility to collect water from a stand pipe on the side of the road.
It was during this time that Mr McKinnon became interested in art as he watched elders carve emu eggs, which were later sold to tourists in town.
Mr McKinnon resides in Geelong, Victoria, these days but still returns to the Mid West town where he was born in 1957 to visit family.
He attended the recent exhibition opening, which coincided with National Reconciliation Week.
According to Mr McKinnon, his use of art to engage with the world was a deep internal struggle that stemmed from his early years and eventual need to run to survive.
"The paintings show a journey of pain and, the pain caused by racism and lack of compassion or charity for a group of people, lost on their path to becoming accepted for who they are," Mr McKinnon said.
"My work reflects on my travels as I am one of these people caught between two races where up until now, they have ignored my existence."
Mr McKinnon hoped his work would enlighten the audience while also sharing his personal story.
He had tried to emulate his feelings at the time of creating his memories beginning as a child in Blood Alley.
"The paintings relate to my journeys and my determination not to waver, to stay on course to escape from not the place, but the people that restrict and bind me, alienate me from a place, that say I cannot exist alongside them," he said.
Mr McKinnon has been involved in the exhibition curation, and also conducted an Artist's Talk in the gallery, where he talked with school groups and visitors about the artworks.
While in Geraldton he also ran workshops and 'Aspiration Building' talks with students at Mullewa District High School, Midnight Basketball at Wonthella Stadium and with Beachlands Primary School students.
He also visited art class participants at Greenough Regional Prison.
According to GRAG gallery officer Marina Baker, there had been an overwhelmingly positive response to the exhibition, with people spending an extended period of time taking in the artworks.
Fortuitously the exhibition has coincided with another titled 'The Alternative Archive - Truth, Myths and Legends of the Mid West', which is on display on the ground floor of GRAG.
The Alternative Archive is part of Connect to the Creative Grid, an initiative of the Regional Arts Partnership Program supported by the State government, Country Arts WA and the Australian government's Regional Arts Fund.
GRAG is one of 13 galleries taking part in a series of Statewide exhibitions inviting local curators and artists to highlight their own regions' social and cultural history in their own way.
The Geraldton collection involves the works of 12 artists, including Ms Baker, Craig Allsop, Helen Ansell, Zac Bruce and Ellen Broadhurst, Julie Dowling, Charmaine Green and Mark Smith, Roy Merritt, Ellen Norrish, Marianne Penberthy and Mark Smith, with Jason Stacey.
Ms Baker said the combination of the two exhibitions was powerful, and encouraged as many people as possible to get along and view them before July 20.
GRAG is in the heritage listed Town Hall building on Chapman Road in Geraldton, and is open Monday to Saturday from 10am-4pm, from 1pm-4pm on public holidays, and is closed on Sundays.
