Skip to main content

ROOTSEY, Joe
1918 - 1963

Barrow Point people, Ama Wuringu clan
1918, Barrow Point, QLD – 1963, Cooktown, QLD

Joe Alamanhthin Rootsey spent his early years working on numerous cattle stations before marrying and finally settling on ‘Olivevale’, near Laura, west of Cooktown. In 1954, he was diagnosed with tuberculosis and spent two years at the Cairns Base Hospital. It was during this time that he began sketching, inspired by memories of his country around Cooktown and Barrow Point. After Rootsey’s works were exhibited at the Cairns Show, his talent was brought to the attention of the Department of Native Affairs. In 1958, he was invited by the department to attend the Central Technical College in Brisbane to undertake art training. Rootsey once again became ill with tuberculosis and died at Cooktown Hospital on 27 June 1963, aged 45.

Principal country
Australia QLD
Cultural identity
Barrow Point people, Ama Wuringu clan
Date of birth
1918
Date of death
1963
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Landscape) c.1954
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Creek) c.1954
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Creek) c.1954
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

Long Beach c.1954
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Landscape) c.1954
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Aboriginal station hand) c.1954
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Creek) c.1954
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Creek) c.1954
Artwork (Blue mountains in background) this artwork made of Watercolour over pencil on paper, created in 1959-01-01

(Blue mountains in background) 1959
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Valley with small trees in foreground) 1959
Artwork (Bottom lake at Kalpower) this artwork made of Watercolour on paper, created in 1959-01-01

(Bottom lake at Kalpower) 1959
Artwork (Eastward from Bathurst Head) this artwork made of Watercolour on paper, created in 1958-01-01

(Eastward from Bathurst Head) 1958
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Landscape) c.1954
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Creek) c.1954
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Landscape) c.1954
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Coastal landscape) c.1954
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Bull fight) c.1954
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Landscape) c.1954
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Aboriginal station hand) c.1954
Artwork (Road from Laura towards Lakeland) this artwork made of Watercolour on paper, created in 1959-01-01

(Road from Laura towards Lakeland) 1959
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Yellow rocks in foreground) 1959
Artwork (Four landscape sketches) this artwork made of Watercolour over pencil on paper, created in 1959-01-01

(Four landscape sketches) 1959
Artwork (Walcom station) this artwork made of Watercolour on paper, created in 1958-01-01

(Walcom station) 1958
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Landscape) c.1954
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Landscape) c.1954
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Landscape) c.1954
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Waterfall) c.1954
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Station) c.1954
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Sketches) c.1954
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Aboriginal camp) c.1954
Artwork (Cherbourg mission building) this artwork made of Watercolour over pencil on paper, created in 1959-01-01

(Cherbourg mission building) 1959
Artwork (Wakooka, inland from Barrow Point) this artwork made of Watercolour on paper, created in 1959-01-01

(Wakooka, inland from Barrow Point) 1959
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

On the way to Samford, Qld 1959
Artwork (Barney's Lake, east of Kalpower) this artwork made of Watercolour on paper, created in 1958-01-01

(Barney's Lake, east of Kalpower) 1958
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

Trinity Bay 1955
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Waterfall) c.1954
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Coastal landscape) c.1954
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Landscape) c.1954
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Landscape) c.1954
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Waterfall) c.1954
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Aboriginal men and dog) c.1954
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Water birds) c.1954
Artwork (At Wakooka, Barrow Point in the background) this artwork made of Watercolour on paper, created in 1959-01-01

(At Wakooka, Barrow Point in the background) 1959
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

(Top of Howick, south of Barrow Point) 1959
Artwork (Road from Cooktown to Lakeland) this artwork made of Watercolour over pencil on paper, created in 1959-01-01

(Road from Cooktown to Lakeland) 1959
Artwork (Cape Melville lava rocks) this artwork made of Watercolour on paper, created in 1958-01-01

(Cape Melville lava rocks) 1958

External resources

View related library resources

Re-use metadata

Export creator's object list as JSON