I Am Still Here

Gail Cowley is a visual artist working across painting, installation, and ceramics. She has over 20 years' experience teaching community art within TAFE Queensland and public studios, working closely with members of the Brisbane disability community. 

Living and working as an artist with a disability has given Gail a unique perspective and has supported her healing from significant traumatic experiences. For Gail, painting is a vital means of overcoming ordeals and an essential part of her healing, allowing her to share complex and deeply personal stories through a visual medium.

This miniature painting speaks to both survival and strength, responding to a terrible crime committed against me by a stranger in 1994. The ghost gums loom hauntingly in the background. In contrast, my facial expression reflects resilience and a quiet sense of victory - an unspoken triumph over adversity.