Marietta Bray has established herself as a significant artist with a distinctive style. The content of her works focuses on her family’s traditional country of Purnululu (Bungle Bungles) and she presents both the iconography and the Dreamtime stories of this region with accuracy and passion, with an obvious determination to carry on the legacy of…
Madigan is the epitome of a strong Kitja Law woman. Born on Violet Valley Station just south of Warmun, she has always been a worker. As a child, she assisted the women with yard and domestic duties around the station, and learnt from her elders the very depths of her culture which remain with her…
Mabel was born c. 1933 at Five Mile, via Moola Bulla Station, East Kimberley Western Australia. She was raised in her mother’s country, Springvale Station. The family then relocated to Bow River Station where Mabel worked as a young woman. Mabel is a highly respected Traditional Kitja Elder and acknowledged as one of the…
Madelene Purdie was born Kununurra East Kimberley 1st February 1975. She attended school at Turkey Creek (Warmun) and Broome. Madelene is part of one of the most respected and artistically renowned families in the Kimberley. Her mother (Shirley Purdie) and grandmother (Madigan Thomas) are both International Ochre Artists and highly regarded Law women of the…
Lily Karadada (sometimes spelt Lily Karedada) was born Prince Regent River area c. 1921. From her father’s country, Woombangowangoorr, she went with her mother and family to Mitchell Plateau. She married Jack Karadada and eventually settled in Kalumburu, where she still lives with her huge extended and very talented family. Lily is one of Australia’s…
Lorraine was born in Wyndham 5th September 1977. She resides at Warmun Community, Turkey Creek, with her husband Christopher Churchill (an extremely talented young artist) and their six children young children. Lorraine has been painting since a teenager and comes from a strong painting family. The content of her paintings is wide, including Purnululu, Springvale…
Kitten (also known as Kitty) was born at Halls Creek c. 1942, on the site of the old gold mine. She recalls seeing the alluvial gold glinting as the sun rose in the morning time. There was a big mob of people all digging with crowbars. My father worked there he was from Gordon Downs…
Kevin and his wife, Bernadette, live at Kalumburu. They have seven children, the three eldest (Cassandra, Melissa and Lawrence) showing the talent of their father. Bernadette is also very well known for her artefacts her bush buckets made from moulded bark are collectors’ items. Kevin was born at Wyndham in 1954 and has lived…
Katie was born at Texas Downs Station and was fortunate to have an education at Beagle Bay. She relocated to Warmun after her schooling and began teaching the children on the Community an occupation which she is still involved with today. Katie comes from a family of talented artists her aunts Lena Nyadbi and Goody…
Ju Ju was born at Mantinea Flats in the East Kimberley. She was educated at Beagle Bay. She is of the Mirruiwong/Gadgerong group and her Aboriginal name is Burriwee – but to everyone she is “Ju Ju”. Mother of six, tour guide, much sought after cultural advisor, expert in bush tucker, bush medicines, advisor to…
June was born on Texas Downs Station. She has lost both her mother and father but Madigan and Sandy Thomas treat her like a daughter. She lives in Kununurra, has eight children and visits her relatives at Warmun as often as she can. She was taught painting by one of the best Lena Nyadbi who…
John was born Doon Doon (East Kimberley area of Western Australia) in 1944 and has been a stockman all his life. His family is one of three of the traditional owners of Glen Hill Station. John not only works on his Community, which is a viable cattle station, but until recently carried out contract mustering…
Jock was born on Nicholson Station bordering on desert country and situated over the Northern Territory border from Kununurra (East Kimberley) where Jock now resides (Kununurra and Warmun Community). He spent his working life based at Nicholson, and like other stockmen of his day, mustered on surrounding stations the best of his profession were valued…
c. 1945 2006 Joe Lewis was born on Coolibah Station via Timber Creek in the Northern Territory c. 1945 and was of the Jaminjung language group. When he was a young child his family moved to Bradshaw Station which was part of their traditional country. Joe grew up on Bradshaw Station and was a Traditional…
Jimmy (Jimbo) Johnson was born in Derby Western Australia in 1968. He grew up at Warmun Community (Turkey Creek) where he now resides with his wife Jane Yalunga and their five children. Jane is the daughter of one of Australia’s best known artists, Rover Thomas and is also a talented artist. Jimbo has an in…
Jessica was born 14/02/1986. She has lived most of her life at Warmun Community where she completed Primary School then went on to study at Wongutha CAPS Aboriginal Christian School, 20kms North of Esperance. At a very young age, she is displaying both talent and keen desire to paint. Her paternal grandmother is Shirley Purdie,…
c. 1921 22nd July 2002 Jack was born Alice Downs Station and commenced stockwork at an early age. He worked on many stations in the East Kimberley, and as a drover to many parts of Australia, including the Canning Stock Route to Alice Springs and east to Central Queensland. He had an incredible recall and…
Carrying on the tradition of her famous father Rover Thomas Jane was born in Wyndham, East Kimberley in 1972 and grew up on Texas Downs Station and at Warmun Community where she now resides with her husband Jimmy (Jimbo) Johnson, also an artist, and their five children. She worked for many years as a Teacher’s…
c. 1927 2003 Henry Wambini was born at Tickelara south of Turkey Creek, c. 1927. As a child, he lived Hann Springs, Tickelara, Purnululu area and this land is the focus of his paintings. He was of the Kitja (Gidja) language group, Sub-Section Joongoora and Bush Names Jawalyi and Nilmayirriny however, most people referred to…
Gordon was born in Perth and grew up in Turkey Creek (Warmun). His grandfather is David Turner, Chairperson of Turner Community via Turkey Creek. Gordon’s mother, Evelyn, a talented artist, is from Glen Hill, where Gordon now lives. He has four children his sister, Jodie, is also a top artist as are many of the…
Gordon Barney was born at Alice Downs Station in the East Kimberley in 1944. He now lives at Norton Bore Community, Via Turkey Creek with his wife, the well know and extremely talented International artist Shirley Purdie. Gordon and Shirley are both joint Chairpersons there. Gordon is well known throughout the region as a stockman,…
Goody and her sister Lena Nyadbi were born at old Lissadell Station. Goody relates the story of how her boss, Paddy McNamara, taught her domestic duties as well as riding. As she grew up on the station, her elders taught her bush tucker gathering and all the stories she now paints and passes on to…
Photograph taken during a visit from Emu Creek to Kununurra 2001 Nellie Gordon, George’s young relatives and George in background George Wallaby was born in the bush near Lake Gregory on the northern edge of the Great Sandy Desert region of Western Australia c. 1930. He was a Walmajarri speaker, the traditional language group that…
(Dcsd. July 2004) The following is transcript of recorded interview with Freda Wilson on 10th February 2002. The Gallery has very few of Freda’s works left however, she was a clever artist, wonderful lady and we feel her story is important. P: Hi, Freda how are you?Freda: Good P: Good O.K. what’s new? What you…
Eddie commenced painting when he was seven from a very early age, he used to watch his grandfathers, Fred, Gerry and Donald, and the other Elders who taught him to blend ochre, apply the paint, carve, and passed on to him the stories of the work they were doing. Other members of his clan (Barbil)…
Evelyn Malgil was born in Halls Creek 01/10/1965. Her family’s country includes Alice Downs, Chinaman’s Gardens and Lansdowne Station. She has five children and resides at Warmun Community (Turkey Creek) in the East Kimberley. Evelyn began painting seriously in 2000 encouraged by the Chairperson of the Warmun Art Centre at the time, International Artist Mark…
Dorothy was born, bred and has always lived in the remote Community of Kalumburu in the far north-east of the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Like her contemporaries, Jack and Lily Karadada and fellow painter Kevin Waina – why leave? A beautiful community on the coast of the Mitchell Plateau area – abounding in fish,…
Born: Derby 1974 Resides: Kununurra Language: Mirriuwong Bush Name: Mulbie Desma comes from an artistic family and commenced painting at a very young age. Her aunt is senior ochre artist Judy Mengil and through her extended family, including Judy, she is able to paint the country where she resides around Kununurra, extending over the Northern…
Dennis resides and works at Warmun Community, Turkey Creek, East Kimberley. He is 35, married to Maxine Carroll (an exciting third generation Kitja painter and International Artist Tommy Carroll’s niece) and they have two children. His mother, Shirley Drill (also an experienced ochre artist) resides at Frog Hollow Community (Wurreranginy) and is closely related to…
Denise Mung is the daughter of Beerbee Mungnari, a renowned Elder Ochre Artist who many years ago began painting with Rover Thomas, Jack Britten, Henry Wambini and Hector Jandany. She was born in 1961 at Wyndham in the East Kimberley and grew up at Frog Hollow Community (Wurrerangingy) via Turkey Creek (Warmun). Jack Britten was…
Deanne Peters was born 14/05/1986 in Derby Western Australia. She grew up and schooled at Turkey Creek and then Darwin. She is of the Kitja skin and her bush name is Nangala. After completing her education in Darwin, she returned to Turkey Creek (Warmun) and now spends her time between Turkey Creek and her husband’s…
Churchill (Yoonany) was born on Texas Downs Station in 1947, where his father was a stockman and his mother worked in the station homestead. He speaks both Kitja and Mirriuwong. He spent most of his working life on Texas and followed his father’s footsteps as a valued stockman and horse-breaker. He also worked on…
Colleen was born in Derby 16th October, 1968. She has five children, all girls, and at a very young age is the proud grandmother of three (2007). She resided for some time at Warmun Community, Turkey Creek, assisting in the Aged Care Centre. There she learnt the technique of the Kitja artists, completing large works…
Chris Churchill was born in Derby, Western Australia in 1974 and resides at Warmun Community, Turkey Creek, 200kms south of Kununurra in the East Kimberley region. He is a Jaru (desert) skin man married to Lorraine Daylight, a talented Kitja artist from one of the best known First Generation Ochre Artist families. They have six…
> Charlene is definitely one of the most talented, exciting young artists in Australia. Born in Perth 1977, she grew up at Warmun Community, Turkey Creek, Western Australia. She has established herself as a strong woman, an enthusiastic painter with an enquiring mind and the ability to fulfil her highest aspirations. Charlene is an established…
Bruce Wungundin was born in 1952 at Mt. House Station on the Gibb River Road, a remote area of the Kimberley region in North East of Western Australia. He is of the Ngargin skin group. He is closely related to celebrated Elder artist Mick Jawalji and Bruce states that in fact his father was born…
Cassie was born in Derby 3rd August 1977. She has three children and lives in Kalumburu, in the very far north of the East Kimberley Region. Eldest daughter of Kevin and Bernadette Waina, she has inherited her father’s talent in art and her mother’s ability to make beautiful artefacts. She paints Wandjina and Bradshaw (Gwion…
Billy Duncan was born on Inverway Station in the Northern Territory in 1947. He has four children, two girls and two boys. Billy worked firstly as a ringer then stockman on Inverway, Nicholson, Kirkimbie and Mistake Creek Stations. After an accident during his stock work days, an injury to his knee forced Billy to change…
Bessie Malarvie was born 1st April 1958 at Kirkimbie Station in the Northern Territory. She is of Jaru (desert) skin. Bessie attended school at Halls Creek, however at age 13 was promised bride to a man living on Nicholson Station, adjoining Kirkimbie. She therefore had to cease her schooling and lived on Nicholson, carrying out…
Beryline was born on Texas Downs Station in the East Kimberley, Western Australia on 12th April 1952. She is the daughter of the renowned George Mung Mung; her father and Paddy Jampinjii were the founders of the ochre art movement, which subsequently included such luminaries as Jack Britten, Rover Thomas and Hector Jandany. Beryline is…
Aboriginal Artist Beerbee Mungnari Beerbee was born on Waterloo Station, Northern Territory in 1931. Like so many of the Kimberley painters of his generation, he was a stockman and drover, working on many stations including Argyle, Hahn Springs, Lissadell, Texas and Rosewood. Beerbee (pronounced Birribee) grew up on Rosewood, but recalls the family’s trips to…
April was born 11th April 1994, in an ambulance on the way from Warmun Community to Kununurra Hospital. She is the eldest daughter of Charlene Carrington and Wayne Nulgit. April is the youngest artist from one of the most talented families of Ochre Painters in the East Kimberley. Her great-grandmother Betty Carrington commenced painting late…
Angelina is the youngest daughter of Lily and Jack Karadada and part of one of the most famous artistic families in Australia. Her mother Lily is an International artist and the best known of the Wandjina (rock art) painters. Angelina was born 15/05/67 in Kalumburu, Mitchell Plateau Far North East Western Australia. Angelina was educated…
Alan resides in Kununurra with his wife Peggy, and both are renowned artists. He has been painting since the early 1980s and his talent is recognised Australia-wide and Internationally. He paints both for Waringarri Art Centre and as an independent artist. He has been fortunate in that he is one of a few selected artists…
