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When Desi Marliani and Fiona Reidy teamed up for the Curtin Indigenous Futures Artwork Competition, they didn’t just create a stunning piece of art, they built a deeper friendship and shared a powerful message about connection, culture and ReconciliAction. This profile explores how their creative collaboration, Weelyark Call, brought together storytelling, identity and the spirit of the Six Noongar seasons.
What happens when two friends turn a last-minute idea into a campus masterpiece?
When third-year Communications student, Desi Marliani, came across an email about the Curtin Indigenous Futures Artwork Competition, she had no idea she’d end up creating a winning piece with her friend Fiona Reidy, a Noongar artist and Curtin alumna she met through work at the Bell Tower.
Curtin’s Faculty of Humanities recently held the 2025 Indigenous Futures Artwork Competition to find Indigenous artwork designs suitable for a large outdoor display to be proudly displayed on campus. With only five days left before the deadline, Desi brought the idea to Fiona, who didn’t hesitate.
Desi was completing her capstone project, about saving the West Australian endangered species, the black cockatoo. Fiona had offered to do some art for this project, but this contribution turned into a much bigger collaboration between the two friends.
That “something bigger” became Weelyark Call, a vibrant depiction of a black cockatoo (Weelyark) soaring through sky and season, a nod to Fiona’s signature theme of the Six Noongar Seasons, and a tribute to a bird deeply symbolic in Aboriginal culture.
“The Weelyark’s call tells us rain is coming. When they fly over, it’s a sign of change. So we painted the bird watching the rain approach, with all the sky colours around it. Desi did an amazing job on the background, even though it was her first time painting like this!” – Fiona
Their friendship began at the Bell Tower, where Desi works and Fiona supplies art and design. When Desi had originally seen what Fiona’s artwork meant, she was blown away.
“When I met Desi, I thought that she was very bubbly, and she had a contagious laugh. I thought she was a really nice person. So, I think we just naturally got along. We bumped into each other a few times, and then every time I ran into her, she made me laugh.” – Fiona
Desi, who never considered herself a traditional artist, sees her creative expression through film media and storytelling. For Fiona, connecting through art has always come naturally. She runs workshops, exhibitions and school programs, and now leads her own business, Djinda Kaal Dreaming.
“Along the way, I’ve met a lot of amazing people who have helped me succeed, and I continue to network and meet many more. It was unexpected that Desi wanted to collaborate for a competition, and I’m so happy we did – look at the results! It speaks for itself. We won!” – Fiona
Desi is clear on the importance of understanding. In creating art, and in ReconciliAction, understanding and accepting is the first step. “You’ve got to connect and understand. If you’re not connecting with First Nations people, you don’t have the ability to understand their culture and you won’t be able to express it. But once you do, just jump on it!”
Fiona agrees. “Be open-minded with different cultures and find a common ground. I respect that every culture is different, and we all have our own ways. Once you build rapport with others, you can build really good friendships. That, of course, has to go both ways. And that’s what reconciliation is all about. Connecting with others who aren’t from your background and learning to understand and be patient with one another. Always be kind, it shouldn’t matter what background you’re from to connect and to appreciate one another.”
Looking ahead, Desi plans to stay in the tourism industry and use her skills to tell stories with cultural depth. Fiona, meanwhile, continues to let her art guide her, just like the Weelyark in the sky.
By creating art together, these two friends have found a powerful way to express and represent ReconciliAction. Like the Weelyark watching the rain as it approaches, they look ahead to new art, friendships and opportunities on the horizon.
