Wayne Weaver
Wayne Weaver has lead a colorful life following a passion for art, youth and teaching and has had his work exhibited all over the world.
Sent to prison in 1984, Wayne spent his time developing his own art practice, as well as encouraging the artistic talent of his fellow inmates by using art as therapy. With a BA in Fine Arts, he has been teaching art since the early days of his lengthy incarceration.
From inside the notorious Boggo Road Gaol, Wayne found himself representing prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment throughout Queensland. Following his parole in January 2000, he worked with troubled young people in a counselling and mentoring role.
Wayne initiated getting programs such as art therapy accepted within the prison. He also assisted in rewriting the Queensland criminal code.
He was instrumental in the abolishment of mandatory life sentences which were written into the Drug Misuse Act and the writing of the Sentence and Penalties Act.
From inside gaol, Wayne’s work was sent for various exhibitions in the USA, England, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and Argentina where it drew attention of Francis Bacon – the Irish born British fugitive painter known for his bold, grotesque, and emotionally charged imagery.
Bacon purchased one Wayne’s works and the rest were snapped up by Ronnie Kray, one of the infamous Kray twins who turned to painting during incarceration in a British Prison.
Wayne’s work is unique; a curator from the Louvre in Paris tried to paint him as surrealist painter… A label that he has resisted ever since.
Wayne’s body of work is curated at Birrunga Gallery where he teaches and develops young, emerging, and Indigenous artists.
