Gloria Beckett is nationally recognised as an artist. Her painting was selected for the cover of the book 'The New Wave'. Beckett was a member of the Stolen Generations; she was forcibly removed from her family and taken to Parga Mission in Ipswich as a baby. Living in Cherbourg settlement until she was 19, Beckett was sent to work on stations as a servant with any pay being withheld by the government from the age of 16. Beckett actively campaigned for the adequate compensation of those who were victims of stolen wages and was instrumental in winning a degree of recompense.
Beckett began drawing in private at a young age and later revealed her talents as an artist while working as an Aboriginal health worker in the 1980s. In 1990, Beckett was named 'National Aboriginal Artist of the Year'. Beckett was highly active in helping others to heal and forgive.
Beckett completed a Master of Visual Arts degree at Griffith University shortly before passing away from Cancer. Her degree was conferred posthumously.
