Art has long been a way for Kayleb Waters-Sampson to express and share his culture.
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The celebrated Tamworth-based artist and performer, and proud Gomeroi man, has been painting and drawing since he was in primary school.
"It's just a way to connect not only to culture but to everything within Country," Mr Waters said.
"Understanding symbols, understanding the country, understanding the animals, art helps to connect a lot of that."
It is also a fabulous storyteller, as he demonstrated to participants at a special holiday workshop at the Tamworth Regional Gallery on Wednesday, July 18.
"I did an artwork and sat down with them and got them to explain what they saw from my artwork," Mr Waters said.
After they had a guess at what the story was about, he then explained the different symbols and what they meant before they drew their own story.
For some of them this was the first time they had done any Indigenous art, the 2023 Tamworth Regional Council Local Legend of the Year was impressed by the artworks produced.
"Some of them were fishing down the river and they saw a kangaroo," he said.
"Some of them have got turtles at home, so they drew their turtles in their dam when they were down there watching them."
