Clan group: Peiudu
Language group: Meriem Mer
Jimmy (John) Thaiday was born on Thursday Island in 1978 and grew up in Erub, Torres Strait, where he continues to live and work.
Jimmy trained as a carpenter before pursuing a career as an artist. He has had a lifelong passion for drawing, depicting the fish and marine life on the reef surrounding the island where he grew up. For Jimmy, art is a means of expressing his identity while sharing his culture and beliefs.
Jimmy has been represented in major national and international exhibitions, including WARWAR: The art of the Torres Strait, Newcastle Art Gallery 2021; and Taba Naba, Oceanography Museum, Monaco 2016. His work is represented in major collections in Australia and overseas.
He is represented by Erub Arts, Torres Strait, Queensland.
The Cairns Art Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work and live. We pay our respects to Elders past and present. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website may contain images, names or voices of deceased persons in photographs, film or text.