Colin Davis
While sitting at a bus stop in Batemans Bay, my mother and I noticed an Aboriginal man waving at passing cars, holding a painting. Intrigued by its beauty, we approached him to inquire about the price. As he began to share the story behind the painting, he revealed that the two dolphins symbolized love and forgiveness, evident in their wide-open eyes.
He shared his personal history, including his painful experiences as part of the stolen generation alongside Shirley Smith, and his time in a boys' home where he learned to fight and weight train. He opened up about learning to paint in prison, a skill that became his salvation during a period marked by suicidal thoughts and intense anger.
The man credited his transformation to his discovery of painting and his faith in Jesus Christ. Painting became a medium for him to express themes of reuniting parents with their children, turning his anger into love and forgiveness. When asked about his past, he candidly spoke of his violent history and how his time in prison led to a profound realization through his faith: he hadn't killed anyone, only caused harm.
Upon his release, he dedicated himself to visiting boys and girls homes, teaching love and forgiveness. He remarked how rare it was for men to engage with him as I had, and shared his concern about the anger and misguided sense of authority he observed in many young men. He stressed the importance of family and respectful relationships.
Before parting ways, he gifted us prayer cards and a laminated copy of the original sketch for his painting, a concept he conceived in prison. His mission was to continue painting and distributing his artwork to spark conversations and healing. He encouraged us to take a photo, enlarge it, and display it, amplifying his message to heal the stolen generation and reunite families.
It was a conversation that was as uplifting as it was heart-wrenching. This 76-year-old man, only recently aware of his age, had found a powerful way to reconcile with some of life's most challenging experiences.
