First Nations artist Ashleigh Anne Bruza is a storyteller whose work melds time, place, and family into traditional and mixed media art forms.

“I've always been inspired by capturing that feeling of a moment in time,” she says.

“I usually reflect on childhood memories, my family, and because I come from a coastal town, my work is very nature inspired. I come from the Eyre Peninsula so dot painting is something that I've grown up doing, but there are also other mediums I use.”

She brought those influences to bear on the cover art which adorns this edition of Snapshot. The circles represent community and Equity Trustees’ connection between past, present, and future.

“I was inspired by the fact that the organisation has been around for such a long time and grown with society and communities,” she says of the company, which was established in 1888.

Equity Trustees has built close ties with First Nations people over those years, distributing around $2 million in annual charitable grants to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities as they actively steer their own futures.

Ashleigh also recently created a second artwork to commemorate the opening of a new Equity Trustees office in Adelaide. The circles represent community and the line represents the transition from one office to another.

“There's a trail or journey line from one circle to the other that symbolises the journey between Naarm (or Melbourne) and Kaurna country (or Adelaide). I wanted to reiterate the fact that two communities are coming together.”

It is that storytelling which inspires her art, which also includes jewellery, printmaking and drawing.

“I'm inspired by storytelling – how I feel when that person's told me their story. Sometimes it's very intimate, very private, and the openness from a client to capture that.”

Ashleigh also recently created a local netball team bib and rugby team jersey for Indigenous rounds, as well as a laurel for a diversity-focused film festival.

She says companies such as Equity Trustees are doing important work that is helping the cause of reconciliation.

“I think some people don't realise the work that does tend to go on behind the scenes. There is reconciliation and working hand in hand with each other.”

More than 2700 organisations across Australia have now formalised their commitment to reconciliation by creating a Reconciliation Action Plan, which outlines their framework for building relationships, respect and opportunities for First Nations communities.

“Being able to showcase artwork and the area I'm from as well is also a nice way to show that Equity Trustees is putting opportunities out there for First Nations people.”

To contact Ashleigh go to www.ochredawn.com.au and to read Equity Trustees Reconciliation Action Plan go to www.eqt.com.au/about-us/reconciliation-action-plan.