Frill Neck Lizard ‘Jetji’ by Wayne Liwingu McGinness

Wayne “Liwingu” McGinness  was born in Atherton QLD where his mother is from. His grandmother was Maggie “Djairrami” Anning and her people, the Ngadjon tribe (rainforest people), were  located all over the Atherton Tablelands. Her husband, Gerald Anning, was a fisherman, master lumberjack and one of the Yidinji tribe.

Wayne spent the majority of his life in the Northern Territory where his father’s family is from. The Kungarrakan Tribe (paperbark people) of the Finnis and Darwin River area. His grandfather Valentine Bynoe McGinness (a welder, wheelright and mechanic) was born on a mine claim near the Finniss River to a local Kungarakan woman (Alyandabu”Lucy” McGinness) and an Irish rail worker (Stephen McGinness).

Wayne’s style of sculpture is a result of creating contempary aboriginal art using steel, in both two and three dimensions.  Many of Wayne’s designs represent the animals of his childhood and family and of his grandparent’s lands.  However, he is always willing to design and create pieces depicting animals from other regions of Australia. The movement of the animals, reflected in his work, is what inspires him as he believes nothing is more natural.

Wayne creates all his pieces from Australian 316 marine grade stainless steel, a beautiful steel alloy that is durable, clean and pleasing to the eye.