Geraldine Bedford Australian, Gija, b. 1971

Geraldine Bedford was born in Wyndham in1971. Geraldine's father was Joe Lisadell- a stockman and also the little brother ofLena Nyadbi,one of Warmun Art Centre's greatest artists.Geradline's mother is Mary-Lou Bedford and her parents met at Bedford Downs Stations wherethey were both working as a stockman and station maid.Paddy Bedford, another great Gijaartist is Geraldine's maternal Grand-uncle."My Dad leftmy mother at Bedford Downs and came back this way to Lisadell Station to live with his two sisters Lena and Goody. The three siblings grew up together and Lena used to look after my dad on Lisadell/Thilduwan. Back in the 70s, in 1971 they took me to Mount House Station, and I grew up with other parents-my stepfather.I grew up in Mount House Station,Gibb River and Mount Barnettand I then I kept moving between the West Kimberley and East Kimberley. "I stayed with the Echo family in Warmun before getting my own place in bottom camp-in Lena's old house around 2017. That was the yearshe went to Halls Creek to live in Frail Aged Care. Geraldine has four children- Myrelle, Craig, Belima and Lexi-Jane and seven grandchildren. Lena and Goody would tell Geraldinethe stories from their country-and it has now influenced Geraldine's decision to paintmore seriously and take up the practice where her retired and deceased aunties left off. Geraldine paints with permissions from her relatives."Somebody have to keep on carrying mypainting" Lena told me. "At that time, I didn't feel like doing it- I  had trouble in my life.Butrecently, in 2019, I am sober and I love working hard, and painting keeps us busy. And Iwant to pass it on.'