My name is Kayla and I’m a descendant of the Meriam Mer people’s in the Torres Strait. I am a medical doctor who graduated from the University of Queensland in 2017, and worked in Brisbane until I moved to Denmark in January 2020.

When I was younger, I was always been inspired by and loved creating art, but never had the chance to focus solely on it. I found while studying medicine that creating “artistic” study notes of basic human anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology was one of the best ways for me to learn.

So while waiting for my medical registration to be approved here, I’ve started to create anatomy-inspired images based off our stories, our internal structures and our barriers in healthcare.

Growing up in an Indigenous family, with many of my family members having chronic medical conditions, the disconnect between Indigenous Australians and the healthcare sector has always been evident. In Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait people were rarely made to feel welcome or represented in healthcare settings. And historically medical institutions have caused generational harm to my people. But I hope by reclaiming Indigenous knowledge, stories and representation through medical-based art that we can find a way to bridge the divide between patient and provider and learning about ourselves and our bodies in the process.

This is why I created Within Creations.