Marayn Arts by Zachary O’Donnell

Zachary O’Donnell is a seventeen-year-old Kamilaroi (Gamilaraay) person stemming from Coonabarabran, New South Wales. Zachary grew up in a small community called Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory, and he is currently residing in Adelaide (on Kaurna Country) to complete his studies, whilst running a successful art profile under the name Marayn Arts.

“I’ve been into art ever since I was a kid. Though I didn’t start taking it more seriously till I was an early teenager. I always had struggled with my identity as a fair-skinned indigenous person. I figured that I’d start looking at my own heritage and teach myself how to paint. My mother didn’t know her cultural background as back then it wasn’t being frequently practiced or allowed and wasn’t being taught. My inspiration comes from my family; who we are and where we come from. I paint about the country, sky, beings and personal matters. I choose to keep going with it because I love it; no matter how hard and challenging it can be. I’ve always loved art. I also continue for those in my family who weren’t allowed to express themselves in this way. I want to paint for those in my family who couldn’t.”

- Zachary O’Donnell

Do you have a vision or goal for your art profile?

I guess I just want to see how far I’ll be able to go with art. I want to hopefully be able to make a living on just my work alone. I want to show others in my family and community that this can be a real option for us instead of sticking to boundaries that we’ve been given or made for ourselves.

What advice would you give other young people who are thinking of running a business? 

I’d say try it out, it can be fun and exciting but it can also be challenging and frustrating, but if it’s what you want to do then go for it, don’t let anything stop you until you succeed.