Eddie James

My name’s Eddie, but my nickname is ‘All of a sudden’. All of sudden, he just turns up! It just went from there.

I come from the Bardi tribe - the People around Ardyaloon. My mum is from Pannawonica - near Karratha. I’ve still got family down there, so I go visit them sometimes. I was born in Broome, and did Primary School there, then moved up the coast to Beagle Bay in 1972, then further up to One Arm Point (Ardyaloon) to be with dad’s family. Ardyaloon is North West of Broome, 220km, maybe more. It’s a small community, between Lombadina and Cape Leveque.

We live in a place that’s hard to leave - it’s good living out here by the water, fishing and what-not, camping.

I used to do a lot of work - various jobs. Landscaper, labourer, machine operator, all sorts, for One Arm Point Aboriginal Corporation. I’m just starting art now; I picked up a canvas one day and started painting! I like to paint - lots of things that come into my mind: turtles, dugong, landscape, birds. Turtles are one of the main food source for the Bardi people - I paint them a lot.

I live with my partner Annette. We have three grown up sons, and 10 grandchildren. Some live in One Arm point, one in Djarindjin, one in Kununurra, one in Perth.

Read print stories

“My name’s Eddie, but my nickname is ‘All of a sudden’. All of sudden, he just turns up! It just went from there.”

Blog posts

View all

Artists

Acknowledging Artists on Every Garment

Oct 28, 2025

Every new Magpie Goose garment features the artist’s name and artwork title on its care label, honouring Aboriginal Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) and celebrating the stories behind the ...

Fashion

A Transparent Look at Our Pricing Changes

Oct 12, 2025

Magpie Goose is increasing prices slightly to reflect rising manufacturing costs while staying committed to ethical fashion and First Nations storytelling.

Sustainability

Why We're Making Less This Year

Jun 18, 2025

This year, we’re making less, not because we want to, but because doing fashion the right way costs more. From fair artist licensing to local, ethical production, every garment we make is a labour ...