Esme Timbery, born in 1931, is a celebrated Bidjigal artist and Elder from the La Perouse Aboriginal community. Esme, one of Australia’s most prolific shell artists, comes from a long line of shell workers and has passed her knowledge to the next generation, continuing an enduring connection to Country. The Harbour Bridge has been the subject of Esme’s work since she was a young child and sold her shellwork to tourists. Her first exhibition was in 1998 and her works have been collected by major galleries. In 2005 she became the inaugural winner of the Parliament of NSW Indigenous Art Prize. In 2019 the new UNSW theatre and performance venue was named ‘Esme Timbery Creative Practice Lab’ and in 2022, at age 91, Esme witnessed the Transport for NSW launch of the Esme Timbery River class ferry named in her honour.
