The Muddy Feet exhibition will be displayed by Gunnedah Shire Council at the Creative Arts Gallery to complement 2015 NAIDOC Week celebrations.

Exhibitions and cultural programs co-ordinator Fonda Blackwell described the exhibition as “stirring and poignant”.

“The artist has used mixed medium and incorporated a blend of stone and wood sculptures and paintings on canvas and bark in order to present an exhibition that is both stirring and poignant,” Mrs Blackwell said.

“Each item on display tells its own story and has been created over time from bark, wood and stone collected from the different areas and locations that have left a lasting impression on the artist.”

Mr Long said he has always been inspired by nature and stories told to him by his forefathers.

“The exhibition title Muddy Feet is my own unique reference to the imprints that I and my ancestors left on the land, our culture, our families and our people,” Mr Long said.

“They remind me of the people I’ve met, things that I have experienced, my struggles, my own journey and my love of the Kamilaroi country.

“As a child and as a grown man, I have always felt most at peace when my bare feet touch the soil and I am able to see and feel the dirt between my toes and on the soles of my feet.”

The official opening of the Muddy Feet exhibition will be held at the Creative Arts Gallery on Friday, July 3 from 6pm.

The exhibition will be on display until Friday, July 31.