Mona was born at Old Greenvale Station 1938. Her language is Kitja and she is the eldest daughter of the late Timmy Timms, a celebrated Elder and International Artist.
When everyone from Old Greenvale Station relocated to the new Bow River Homestead which Sam and Maggie Lilly had built, combining Adavale and Greenvale Stations, Mona carried out household duties. Mona’s father Timmy was Head Stockman and right hand man for Sam. Mona grew up (raised/looked after) the three Lilly children whilst Maggie was assisting her husband to build the mighty Bow River Station (a million acre cattle empire) from the grass roots. Read the biography Pioneers of the Kimberley the Maggie Lilly Story and you will see how Mona and her family feature in the life of these early Settlers.
The Bow was granted to the Timms’ family (some time after Sam and Maggie onsold it) by the Government, with Timmy as Chairperson. At Tim’s funeral, Maggie, then 90 plus, proudly said to the mourners Your family is my family, and mine is yours.
After the death of her father, the full responsibility of running Bow River Station was put firmly on Mona’s shoulders.
Mona commenced painting in 1996. Her painting centres on Bow River, Bedford Downs station and surrounding areas.
Renowned artist Paddy Bedford (dcsd.) was her uncle Mona was very close to her uncle Paddy, and depicts the stories of the Ngarrangkarni (Dreamtime) told by Paddy in flowing landscape style.
SELECTED COLLECTIONS
Argyle Diamonds
Artbank
Kerry Stokes Collection
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2002
Land is Life Jagdschloss Granitz, Binz, Rügen, Germany, Gallery Bähr, Speyer, Germany
2001
The Unseen in Scene Städtische Galerie, Wolfsburg, Germany, Gallery Bähr, Speyer
Recounting the Essence of Life, Kunstforum HDZ, Bad Oeynhausen, Germany, Galerie Bähr, Speyer
2000
Ben Grady Gallery, Canberra
Adelhausermuseum, Freiburg, Germany
Galerie Bähr, Speyer, Germany
Leverkusen and Dormagen, Germany
Out there – Currents in the Landscape Cullity Gallery, University of Western Australia, Perth
1999
Aboriginal Art, IHK Würzburg, Germany,
Galerie Bähr, Speyer, Germany
Bush Garden, Japingka Gallery, Fremantle
East Kimberley Art Awards, Kununurra
Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne,
Hale School Annual Art Exhibition, Perth
Hogarth Galleries, Sydney
Japingka Gallery, Fremantle
Karen Brown Gallery, Darwin
Short Street Gallery, Broome