Meet Jo: The Artist Behind Balgarra Designs

Sometimes the best part of attending a craft show isn’t what you find. It’s who you meet.

At Townsville Craft Live, we had the pleasure of meeting Joanne Cassady, who we now know simply as Jo, the talented Indigenous artist behind Balgarra Designs.

Balgarra Designs is a 100% Aboriginal owned and operated business, specialising in Aboriginal art, retail and education, with a beautiful collection of hand-painted and printed products created from Jo’s designs.

There’s also a wonderful meaning behind the Balgarra name and the work Jo creates.

To Emit Sparks

The word Balgarra comes from the Wiradjuri language and means “to emit sparks.”

Jo chose the name because of what those words represent to her. A spark is the beginning of something new. It can ignite a fire, create change and start a conversation.

Through her art and storytelling, Jo hopes to ignite those sparks of understanding, education, cultural awareness and unification.

And when you discover more about Balgarra Designs, you quickly realise there are stories woven throughout Jo’s work.

Meet the GadiGals & Cousin Brother

One very special part of Jo’s work is Meet the GadiGals & Cousin Brother, through which Jo also shares her mother’s story and the history of the Stolen Generations.

The GadiGals are two cousins, Ella and Sydney, who head off on all sorts of adventures together. They love exploring new places, discovering what’s around them and meeting people along the way.

And then there’s their Cousin Brother, who tags along on some of their adventures too!

Through these characters and their adventures, Jo creates another way to share stories, culture and history and to encourage conversations and learning.

It’s a beautiful example of what the name Balgarra represents. One story can create a spark, and that spark can lead to curiosity, understanding and connection.

From Jo’s Artwork to a Pair of Sneakers

When we met Jo at Townsville Craft Live and discovered her work, of course our creative brains started ticking!

And that’s how these rather fabulous sneakers came to be. 👟

We helped Jo take fabric featuring her own artwork, printed right here in Australia, and turn it into a completely unique pair of sneakers.

And just look at them!

There’s something pretty special about seeing an artist’s original design move from artwork to fabric and then become something completely unexpected and wearable.

More importantly, the finished sneakers are unmistakably Jo. They carry her artwork, her creativity and the story behind Balgarra Designs.

It’s exactly the sort of creative project we love being part of.

Meet Jo in Sydney

If you’re in Sydney, you’ll have the chance to discover Jo’s work for yourself very soon.

Jo and Balgarra Designs will be at The Big Design Market in Sydney from 17 to 19 September where you can explore her hand-painted and printed products, learn more about the stories behind her work and, of course, meet Jo herself.

You can also visit the Balgarra Designs website to discover more about Jo, her art, the GadiGals & Cousin Brother and the stories she shares through her work.

We’re so glad Townsville Craft Live brought our paths together.

Jo’s work is about much more than creating beautiful things. It’s about art, culture, education, storytelling and starting conversations.

Or, as Balgarra so beautifully puts it, to emit sparks. 🔥

And we think these fabulous sneakers might just emit a few sparks of their own. 👟✨