Story Country - Uncle Jim Ridgeway

The paintings and ceramics of Uncle Jim Ridgeway echo petroglyphs and entrusted stories. These artworks trace stories of the artist’s connection to Birpui and Awabakal Country

Respected Aboriginal Elder, the late Clifford James ‘Jim’ Ridgeway grew up on a mission with the Biripi language group. From the age of 15 he was an amateur boxer with Les McNabb’s troupe until deciding to pursue his talent as a country and western singer. He became a celebrity in country music circles, scoring an award from Nashville, USA, and being named top Aboriginal country and western male vocalist in Australia in the late 1970s.

A serious car accident in the early 1990s diverted his career from singing to art, beginning with painting then ceramics. Uncle Jim Ridgeway was a founding member of the MAC yapang Aboriginal Refence Group and collaborated on artworks that are a feature of the MAC yapang Sculpture Park.