FEATURE: Indigenous artist Kev Edmonstone helping to create ‘new look’ hockey trophies

Each year in the Australian Men’s Masters Hockey Championships trophies are presented to the Best and Fairest Player of each age group. This year’s event was held in Cairns where a record number of teams participated over the two weeks. What were different about the awards were the awards themselves. Indigenous artist Kevin Edmonstone created a stunning range of 12 hand-painted trophies which were awarded to Best and Fairest Players in each division of the Men’s Masters Australian Championships.

Australian Masters Hockey Championships Best and Fairest Player Awards

Indigenous artist Kev Edmonstone is a special person. Married with eight children Kev who was a talented rugby league player has followed the passion of his forefathers by becoming an Indigenous artist after serving much time in learning his cultural ancestry and the ways of Indigenous art. For Kev the art is about his country Yarrabah, just outside of Cairns. It’s (his art) all representing sea and land Murray. Kev’s persistence in his skill has enabled him to become a teacher and put something back into his community. “What other people have taught me, I can go over and teach my own people”.

Indigenous artist Kev Edmonstone modelling his art creation on a hockey face mask

As a result of what Kev does there is an exciting way to bring a richer understanding of indigenous culture to the hockey community through Kev painting images on hockey equipment. Every piece of Indigenous hockey art represents a story relating to the Aboriginal culture. Its significance is critical element of the finished art work. Therefore when a person acquires a piece of Indigenous hockey art they are getting a piece of the cultural history of Aborigines. Kev enjoys connecting his love of Indigenous art with his passion for sport.

Indigenous Art examples include;

1. Art that came from holiday hockey clinics