Gillian Kayrooz

"To be a leader is to install hope in someone and support the belief that they can achieve whatever they want in life regardless of where they have come from."

My family has been in the Parramatta and Cumberland region for three generations. As a teenager, Parramatta was my first taste of independence. Today’s Parramatta proves for an interesting moment in its history. I am excited for what’s to come but I hope that it isn’t at the expense of Parramatta’s historical charm and the richness of its diversity.

I am currently an artist in residence at the Parramatta Artist Studios. In 2018 I was awarded the Create NSW Young Creative Leaders Fellowship which led me to exhibit internationally in the Asia-Pacific region. I have completed artist residencies at the Chengdu Academy of Fine Arts in China and the Sapporo Tenjinyama Artist Studio and Tokyo ARTnSHELTER precinct in Japan.

When coming from a community or school that lacks resources and funding, what remains and what I believe makes a difference in a person's life is guidance and passion. To be a leader is to instill hope in someone and support the belief that they can achieve whatever they want in life regardless of where they have come from.

When I reflect on the women in my life, my grandmothers, mother, sister, teachers and friends, they all have shared with me a strength and compassion to grow as individuals whilst supporting the community. The unique factor of being women from Western Sydney is the commonality that despite hardship or boundaries, we remain determined and persevere. This has absolutely shaped the way I approach challenges or tasks in life and is a knowledge I hope to instil in younger women from the area as a community leader myself. 

I have had to combat the myths of cliches of working as an artist both to myself and others. In particular, the hardships of working as a female artist (and lack thereof of female artists presented in the school curriculum, galleries etc.). One continuous challenge is encouraging the young women at the high school I work at to give Visual Arts a chance and not give in to the false and age old belief of ‘you have to be good at drawing or painting to be good at art’. The challenge is not only opening their eyes to a world of local (and alive artists), available resources, and exciting creative opportunities outside of the school life, but to create an awareness in the art world.

There is no right path so you have to trust your gut! - I knew I wanted to be an artist since I was a child and it’s therefore been a constant part of who I am, but it has taken me a long time to completely embrace and acknowledge that as my current career.