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Tori-Jay Mordey Tori-Jay Mordey i(A152654 works by)
Born: Established: Thursday Island, Torres Strait Islands, Queensland, ;
Gender: Female
Heritage: Torres Strait Islander ; English
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BiographyHistory

Tori-Jay, 17, was born on Thursday Island in the Torres Strait, the youngest of five children. Her mother Jessie is from Thursday Island and father Clive is from England. Jessie's family background is from Murray Island which is in the Eastern Island group in the Torres Strait and Badu in the Western Islands.

Tori-Jay grew up with a strong cultural influence from the Torres Strait; and her home environment is full of Torres Strait artefacts and her mother's artworks. Tori-Jay's mother, Jessie draws, paints and sculpts and makes dhari (Torres Strait Headdress), Kulap/Gorr and Pulga/Marap (a traditional dancing instrument).

Tori-Jay also has passion and talent for theatre, is an active member of Z Pac Theatre Productions in Hervey Bay. She danced in Queensland Creative Generation in 2009 and 2010, and successfully auditioned for drama in the 2012 production. This love has extended to theatre design, including costume, props and special effect make-up. (Source: State Library of Queensland website www.slq.qld.gov.au)

Most Referenced Works

Awards for Works

y separately published work icon In the City I See Broome : Magabala Books , 2018 12957947 2018 single work picture book children's

'In this delightful Early Childhood board book, Tori-Jay Mordey's graphic illustrations bring the city to life in all its colourful glory. Mordey's bold and painterly art style celebrates the pace of the cityscape, whether it be her built environment of tall buildings and big signs, or her moving panorama of long buses. With a fresh and youthful eye, Tori-Jay captures the quirky gait of walking dogs and a jittery assembly of hungry pigeons as they share the streets with happy buskers and lots of people!

'In the City I See is also a gentle snapshot of how our Indigenous culture is reflected in our cities. It will become a valuable and loved addition to family book collections and libraries in rural, regional and urban areas.' (Publication summary)

2018 shortlisted Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards Birth to 3 Years
y separately published work icon In the City I See Broome : Magabala Books , 2018 12957947 2018 single work picture book children's

'In this delightful Early Childhood board book, Tori-Jay Mordey's graphic illustrations bring the city to life in all its colourful glory. Mordey's bold and painterly art style celebrates the pace of the cityscape, whether it be her built environment of tall buildings and big signs, or her moving panorama of long buses. With a fresh and youthful eye, Tori-Jay captures the quirky gait of walking dogs and a jittery assembly of hungry pigeons as they share the streets with happy buskers and lots of people!

'In the City I See is also a gentle snapshot of how our Indigenous culture is reflected in our cities. It will become a valuable and loved addition to family book collections and libraries in rural, regional and urban areas.' (Publication summary)

2018 shortlisted Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards Birth to 3 Years
y separately published work icon Bakir and Bi Broome : Magabala Books , 2013 Z1922956 2013 single work children's fiction children's

'Based on a Torres Strait Islander creation story with illustrations by 18-year-old Tori-Jay Mordey. Bakir (rock) and Mar (storm bird) live on a remote island called Egur with their two young children. While fishing on the beach Bakir comes across a very special pelican (Bakir’s totem is a pelican) named Bi. A famine occurs, and life on the island is no longer harmonious. One day Bakir and Bi disappear and Mar and the children are forced to make the journey to another island by canoe ... and so begins the adventure. There are supernatural themes, totemic connections and kinship relationships — and the island names are imaginary as are the characters. The moral of the story is that everyone has a destiny and a purpose in life.' (Publication summary)

2013 finalist Deadly Sounds Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music, Sport, Entertainment and Community Awards Published Book Of The Year
2014 selected White Ravens
2012 joint winner black&write! Indigenous Writing Fellowships
Last amended 16 Feb 2017 15:19:38
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