18 January 2023 | Tennis Victoria

Kahlea is a proud Wurundjeri artist from Echuca.

Kahlea was part of the Buldau Yioohgen Indigenous Youth Leadership Academy in 2022. As part of Tennis Victoria’s partnership with Anglicare Victoria, the Buldau Yioohgen program provides a welcoming, culturally safe and supportive environment for Indigenous youth.

Tennis Victoria, in partnership with Anglicare Victoria and Buldau Yioohgen took a team of 11 youth to Darwin in August 2022 for the National Tennis Indigenous Carnival. Kahlea represented Victoria as part of the Green Ball Future Stars stream, the participation stream.

One of the nights they gave each of the states blank tennis racquets to paint. Kahlea won the tennis racquet design competition in Darwin, and since then her art has been noticed by all at Tennis Australia and Tennis Victoria.

Players were encouraged to create artwork on black racquets and Kahlea’s was voted as the best from a panel of judges. Tennis Australia staff noticed Kahlea’s talent and since then her artwork and talent have been recognised.

Kahlea has been creating art her whole life and started taking art seriously in 2020. She realised then that she was talented and made her realise she could do it.

“I kept painting and experimented with different materials and eventually found my style and developed it over time. Practice makes progress.”

Kahlea did a painting in 2020 that she sold to the local Aborigional Co-op Family Services building and since then, people saw that and started getting commissioned for work.

“After selling my first painting, it definitely kickstarted my art journey and since then I have had some amazing opportunities with commissions.”

Through Tennis Victoria and Anglicare, the opportunity to go to Darwin to represent Victoria was extremely special for Kahlea and something that has impacted her art journey along the way.

“Tennis is a very strong, welcoming community to be a part of.”

Kahlea’s racquet that she painted in Darwin is displayed in front of the players lounge under Rod Laver Arena for the duration of the tournament.

Kahlea will have a site on Thursday and Friday this week from 10am-6pm where she will create artwork on racquets which will be presented to the Men’s and Women’s singles winners at the AO.

Feel free to give Kahlea a visit!

#VicsAtTheAO