With a rich history and culture dating back more than 50,000 years, Aboriginal people have fascinating stories to tell. 
 
Here you can read about those stories from some of the leading Indigenous artists and learn about about their life as an artist and away from the brush.
 
Click the artist’s picture to view a comprehensive biography from some of Australia’s leading Aboriginal artists across all major regions. This includes The Kimberley where artists specialise in using natural ochre pigments and paints, through to artists from the central and western Desert regions as well as Arnhem Land & others!

 

 

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Abie Loy Kemarre

Abie Loy Kemarre is a 41 year old (Born 1972) Artist from the Utopia are of Australia which is located around 250 km’s north-east of Alice Springs in Central Australia, Northern Territory. Abie belongs to…

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Alan Griffiths

Alan resides in Kununurra with his wife Peggy, and both are renowned artists. He has been painting since the early 1980’s and his talent is recognised Australia-wide and Internationally. He paints both for Waringarri Art…

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Angelina Karadada

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…

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Annette Pitjara Davis

Born: c. 1958 Language Group: Anmatyerre Country: Adelaide Bore, NT Annette is an exciting artist from the Central Desert region, Northern Territory. She is a member of a well-known artistic family and is the daughter…

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April Carrington-Nulgit

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…

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Barbara Weir

Barbara was born in c. 1945 at Bundy River Station, Utopia. Her country is Atnwengerrrp and her language is Anmatyerre and Alyawarr. Barbaras mother was the acclaimed artist Minnie Pwerle (dcsd. 2006) and her father…

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Beerbee Mungnari (Dcsd.)

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…

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Beryline Mung

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…

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Bessie Malarvie

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…

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Betty Mbitjana

Born c.1954 Skin Name: Mbitjana / Mpetyane Language: Anmatyerre Region: Utopia Betty is a member of one of the most renowned painting families in Australia. Her mother was Minnie Pwerle (dcd 2006), her aunt was…

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Bevan Tjampitjinpa

Area: Ti Tree (200km North of Alice Springs) Language: Anmatjere Clan: Ti Tree (Pmara Jutunta) Dreaming: Ahgee (Bush Plum) Bevan Tjampitjinpa was born in Darwin and grew up visiting his homeland. Bevan studied in Darwin…

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Billy Duncan

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…

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Bruce Wungundin

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.…

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Cassandra Waina

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…

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Charlene Carrington

> 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…

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Christopher Churchill

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…

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Churchill Cann (Dcsd.)

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…

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Cindy Wallace Nungurrayi

Artist: Cindy Wallace Nungurrayi Born 1973 Language Anmatyerre Country Mulga Bore, Utopia, Central Australia Medium Acrylic Painting on canvas Subject(s) Women’s Ceremonies, Body Paint and Bush Foods Cindy was born on Santa Teresa mission and…

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Colleen Carter

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,…

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Deanne Peters

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…

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Denise Mung

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…

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Dennis Drill

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.…

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Desma Mengil

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…

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Doreen Dixon Nakamarra

Doreen Dixon Nakamarra is a Walpiri woman from a famous painting family. Her domicile is the remote community of Willowra (Wirliyajarrayi), 250 km north-west of Alice Springs and 200 km from Yuendumu in the Northern…

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Dorothy Djanghara

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…

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Eddie Blitner

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,…

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Eileen Bird Nungarai

Born c.1960s Language Eastern Arrernte/Anmatyerre Country Harts Range area Medium Painting – Acrylic on Canvas, Subject(s) Awelye (Women’s Ceremony), Bush Foods, Country Eileen Bird started painting around the mid nineties is an Eastern Arrernte woman.…

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Emily Pwerle

When Minnie Pwerle passed away in March 2006, she left a legacy of artworks memorable for their amazing colour and flowing imagery. Three of her sisters are carrying on the tradition of Minnie’s depiction of…

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Evelyn Malgil

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…

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Freda Wilson (Dcsd.)

(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…

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Gabriella Possum Nungurrayi

Gabriella was born in 1967 at Mt Allan, Northern Territory. She is the eldest daughter of Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, one of the most famous of our Australian Artists (deceased 2002). She began painting at an…

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George Wallaby (Dcsd.)

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…

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George Ward Tjungarrayi

George was born circa 1945 near the site of Lararra, east of Tjuukurla in Western Australia. George shares the same father as Internationally renowned artists Yala Yala Gibbs and Willy Tjungarrayi. Like many of his…

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Gloria Petyarre

Gloria was born c. 1945 at Atnangkere Soakage, Northern Territory. She lived in the traditional ways before moving to one of the established settlements, Utopia. Her language is Anmatyerre and her country is Atnangkere.  …

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Goddy Barrett

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…

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Gordon Barney

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…

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Gordon Hall

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…

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Gracie Morton Pwerle

Gracie was born c. 1956 in Utopia, Northern Territory where she still resides today.  Gracie is part of the famous Petyarre family – her mother is senior artist Myrtle Petyarre and her Aunties include Gloria,…

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Greeny Purvis Petyarre

Greeny Purvis Petyarre is a tribal elder and ceremonial leader and resides at Boundary Bore with his wife Kathleen & 4 daughters, whon themsleves are very talented artists.  His cousins are the well known artists…

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Henry Wambini (Dcsd.)

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…

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