For the last 15 years, Sid has been a respected Professional Rugby League player. A former Australian Schoolboy International, Sid Domic has played rugby for Brisbane Broncos and Penrith Panthers in the Australian NRL. Then in the English Superleague for Warrington Wolves, Wakefield Trinity and Hull FC. One of the highlights of his career was to score in the 2006 Superleague Grand Final for Hull FC.
Sid retired from professional rugby league at the end of the 2007 season.
This is his story so far...
.....I began painting in 1996. At the time, I was employed as an Aboriginal and Islander Resource Officer at the John Oxley Detention Center in Brisbane. It was through my role as a liaison officer, working to develop a cultural interest/understanding for these wayward youths, that I realized I was uneducated when it came to my own culture.
My knowledge of Aboriginal culture, the background of my family and my heritage was pretty much zero. I was born and raised in Rockhampton where the local Aboriginal people are the Darumbal. It never occurred to me that I could be linked to another tribe. No-one ever talked about it, at least not to me. To be fair though, I never asked. This was the beginning of a 12 year journey to discover who I was and where I came from.
I used art as a tool of discovery, painting about everything I learnt. At the end of 2006, I took my first trip to Mt. Isa, Kalkadoon country. I was able to explore the countryside and the rugged terrain that I had read about. I visited Battlemountain, saw ancient rock paintings and other sights that would inspire my painting.
This has led me to where I am today; to a realization that I have only just scratched the surface. I started off believing all the relevant information about the Kalkadoon people would be there if I took the time to look for it. I now know I have a lot of research ahead of me before I will get the answers I am looking for. I also, am now aware, that some of the information has probably been lost.
For the last 6 year, I have been living in the UK, playing rugby league. During this time, I was given the opportunity through my rugby clubs to workshop in UK schools, speaking about the aboriginal culture and my art.
Since returning to Australia at the end of 2007, I have been experimenting with different art mediums. This is something new for me as I have only worked with acrylics on canvas since I began in 1996. I hope to return to Mt.Isa. I also wish to visit Palm Island and Mornington Island in search for a connection to my people, the Kalkadoons.
EXHIBITIONS
2003 Pyramid Parr Hall, Solo exhibition, WARRINGTON UK.
2006 Rebecca Hossack Gallery, Solo exhibition, LONDON UK.
2007 Stockill/Dove House exhibition, Sell out Solo exhibition, HULL UK.
2007 Print Exhibition(reproduction prints), HULL UK.
2008 Emerging Artist Exhibition, Shalom College, Bundaberg, AUSTRALIA.
2009 'Off the Field with Sid Domic', Solo exhibition, Bundaberg, AUSTRALIA.
2010 Cross Culture - Creating on Country, Thornhill, AUSTRALIA.
-touring group exhibition, Bundaberg-Childers-Maryborough, AUSTRALIA.
2011 Gatakers Artspace, Maryborough, AUSTRALIA
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2010, 2011, 2012 NRL Indigenous All Stars Jersey design
Launching end 2011 Madison Headgear design
- commercial range marketed through Rebel Sports
2007 - 2011 Commercial artworks commissioned by:
Brisbane Broncos
Bundaberg Brewed Drinks
St. Lukes Anglican school mural
Uniforms for Shalom College, Townsville
NRL Indigenous All Stars LOGO
NRL artworks commissioned for gifts
Bundaberg Mayor artwork commissioned for gifts
QRL uniforms for U16 QLD Indigenous team
Madison Sports headgear design artwork
2011 Attended Maraiki festival,
Hawkes Bay, NEW ZEALAND
cross cultural exchange workshops
Scheduled for Jan2012 Cultural exchange, NEW ZEALAND
