Gumbaynggirr
Bernard Kelly-Edwards (BKE)
Aboriginal Artist | Photographer | Poet | Dawaandi Practitioner
Through photography, visual art and his practice of Dawaandi (Reflections), Bernard invites people to look beyond what is immediately visible and discover new ways of seeing, feeling and connecting.
His work explores light and shadow, tangible and intangible, reflection and the spaces between, revealing how everyday experiences can open pathways to awareness, creativity and healing.
Grounded in lived experience and connection to Country, Bernard’s art is an invitation to pause, reflect and see the world differently.
BKE
Bernard Kelly-Edwards is an Aboriginal artist, photographer and creative practitioner whose work explores the deep relationships between people, Country, identity and belonging.
RECOVERY
Dawaandi — Creative Recovery Workshops
In August 2022, Gumbaynggirr artist Bernard Kelly-Edwards (BKE) led a series of Dawaandi Creative Recovery workshops in Sawtell and Toormina, supported by Arts Mid North Coast. Through photography, poetry, music and visual art, participants explored reflection, creativity and connection to Country, themselves and each other. The workshops culminated in a community evening celebrating participants’ creations through spoken word, art discussions and visual projections.
RECOVERY
Dawaandi — Creative Recovery Workshops
In August 2022, Gumbaynggirr artist Bernard Kelly-Edwards (BKE) led a series of Dawaandi Creative Recovery workshops in Sawtell and Toormina, supported by Arts Mid North Coast. Through photography, poetry, music and visual art, participants explored reflection, creativity and connection to Country, themselves and each other. The workshops culminated in a community evening celebrating participants’ creations through spoken word, art discussions and visual projections.
HEALTH
University of Melbourne — Indigenous Health Leadership Program
In 2025, Gumbaynggirr artist and cultural practitioner Bernard Kelly-Edwards (BKE) was selected as one of eight Fellows of the Indigenous Health Leadership Program at the University of Melbourne’s Melbourne Poche Centre for Indigenous Health.
This fellowship recognised Bernard’s leadership potential and provided an opportunity to develop his contribution to Indigenous health, cultural knowledge and community wellbeing. The program comprised three specialised modules: Storying Indigenous Health Leadership and Philosophy, Positioning Indigenous Health Leadership Globally, and Harnessing Local Indigenous Health Leadership.
Through this university-based leadership program, Bernard joined a network of Indigenous professionals and community leaders working to strengthen Indigenous leadership, cultural knowledge and influence across health, research and community development.
CONNECTION
Postcards of Connection — Bridging Generations
Gumbaynggirr artist Bernard Kelly-Edwards (BKE) contributed to Postcards of Connection, a creative project led by Happymess Studio with support from OzGREEN. The project brought together Bellingen High School students and residents of RFBI Raleigh Urunga Masonic Village through art and storytelling.
Bernard guided participants in connecting with First Nations approaches to art and storytelling, bringing Gumbaynggirr cultural perspectives into the creative exchange and highlighting the importance of stories in sustaining relationships across generations. The project culminated in a community exhibition at Bellingen Memorial Hall.
Experiencing Dawaandi
Dawaandi comes to life through people, places and shared experiences. Bernard Kelly-Edwards (BKE) has brought his creative practice into collaborations with artists, communities and organisations, opening spaces for reflection, connection and new ways of seeing. Each encounter becomes part of an evolving story of creativity, Country and human connection.
