Artists & Artisans
Artists and artisans are central to the operations of Better World Arts. Each contribute their intellectual property and skills to the success of our projects. We have individual bios and photos of the artists here, the artisans work as a collective and are represented here collectively. The interesting thing about these two contributors is that they are both working with communal intellectual property. Aboriginal artists are recognised for holding cultural information. This information shapes their lives and communities. The artisans also have intellectual property that has been a part of their social fabric for generations. There is a movement, not well known or recognised here in Australia, that relates to geographic intellectual property. We focus on working with artisans that are authentic owners of the handicraft used, geographically and culturally, as much as we work with artists who authentically own the stories told.
A cultural note; Many Aboriginal communities do not want to see photos of people who have passed away. We have explicit information from some artist with regard to this and many still wanted visual and commercial exposure after they have passed. They know or knew that this would benefit their families with regard to ongoing royalty payments. Some of the artists below have passed, we have pushed their information and photos to the bottom of the page. If we are uncertain about their wishes, we have used one of their art works to represent them. Any person who does not wish to see images of artists who have passed should not scroll past the first few line of artists.
CEDRIC VARCOE
Cedric was born in Adelaide in 1984 and is of Narangga and Ngarrindjeri heritage. His mother’s Ramindjerri heritage is connected to the Victor Harbor and Goolwa region, where Cedric lives with his family. Cedric has won multiple local awards and has been exhibiting since 1997.
CEDRIC VARCOE
ATHENA GRANITES
Athena Nangala Granites is a Warlpiri artist from Yuendumu, born in Alice Springs in 1994. Coming from a strong lineage of artists, she learned to paint by observing her mother, sisters and grandmother. Her practice is grounded in cultural knowledge passed down through generations, and she continues this legacy alongside her family and community.
ATHENA GRANITES
KAREN BARNES
Karen Napaljarri Barnes, a Warlukurlangu Artists painter, creates works inspired by Dreaming stories from her family’s country at Mina Mina. She learned to paint alongside her grandmother and depicts Women’s Dreaming, Wallaby Dreaming, and Bush Carrot Dreaming through her art.
KAREN BARNES
MURDIE NAMPIJINPA MORRIS
Murdie (Maudie) Nampijinpa Morris, from the Tanami Desert, has been painting with Warlukurlangu Artists since 2012. Her works reflect the traditional knowledge, stories, and Country she learned growing up.
MURDIE NAMPIJINPA MORRIS
PAULINE NAMPIJINPA SINGLETON
Pauline Nampijinpa Singleton, from Yuendumu, has been painting with Warlukurlangu Artists since 1999. She creates works depicting her mother’s Jukurrpa stories, reflecting the Dreamings, land, and life of her Country, while actively supporting her community through youth programs and local media.
PAULINE NAMPIJINPA SINGLETON
TINA NAPANGARDI MARTIN
Born in Yuendumu in 1960, Tina Napangardi Martin Robertson has been painting with Warlukurlangu Artists since the mid-1990s. Her works depict her father’s Jukurrpa, including Honey Ant, Snake Vine, and Mushroom Dreamings.
TINA NAPANGARDI MARTIN
VALDA NAPANGARDI GRANITES
Valda grew up and continues to live in Yuendumu. Painting with Warlukurlangu Artists since the early 1990s, she shares Jukurrpa stories passed down through generations of her family.
VALDA NAPANGARDI GRANITES
GABRIEL MARALNGURRA
Gabriel Maralngurra, from Oenpelli in northern Arnhem Land, is a painter, printmaker, and long-time driving force behind Injalak Arts & Crafts. He has exhibited widely in Australia and internationally and serves as an ambassador for his community’s art and culture.
GABRIEL MARALNGURRA
BIANCA GARDINER-DODD
Bianca is a contemporary Aboriginal artist born in 1978, she lives and works on the New South Wales north coast. Her practice is inspired by the coastal environment, drawing on estuaries, beaches and marine life to explore themes of harmony, unity and lived experience. With a background in dance, education and choreography, her art extends a creative journey grounded in movement, storytelling and cultural connection.
BIANCA GARDINER-DODD
DAISYBELL KULYURU
Daisybell Kulyuru, born in Ernabella, is an artist who paints bush tucker and traditional imagery. She has worked at Ernabella Arts and as an Aboriginal Education Worker, and continues to create while living in Adelaide with her children
DAISYBELL KULYURU
DAMIEN AND YILPI MARKS
Damien and Yilpi Marks are collaborative artists who create works depicting traditional desert life. Both have strong family and cultural connections to the Central and Western Desert, and their art reflects their heritage and shared experiences.
DAMIEN AND YILPI MARKS
HOWARD STEER
Howard William Steer, a Broken Hill artist, creates ‘Story Art’—paintings that humorously depict everyday life and events. His work, in a naïve realist style, combines satire, wit, and narrative, as seen in his playful ‘Flying Doctor’ series.
HOWARD STEER
KATHLEEN BUZZACOTT
Kathleen Buzzacott, from Alice Springs, paints Aboriginal stories inspired by her life experiences and native bush creatures. She also creates jewellery using natural seeds and traditional forms, gaining recognition for her designs.
KATHLEEN BUZZACOTT
KERRY SANDHU
Kerry Sandhu, a self-taught acrylic artist, creates works honoring fallen servicemen, servicewomen, and animals. She also produces related merchandise and jewellery, sharing her art and message of remembrance with the community.
KERRY SANDHU
KURUN WARUN
Kurun Warun, of the Gunditjmara language group, is a dot painter, musician, and performer who expresses culture through art, music, and dance. Beginning his artistic journey at eight, he has gained international recognition for his work and performances.
KURUN WARUN
LEAH ANKETELL
Leah, born in Bulli, NSW, creates detailed and sensitive paintings of Australian birds. Drawing on childhood visions and outback culture, she works full-time in oil and ink on large-scale canvas and linen.
LEAH ANKETELL
NELLIE NAKAMARA MARKS
Nellie Marks Nakamarra, sister of Elizabeth Marks Nakamarra, paints Dreaming stories from the Western Desert. Her work reflects women’s ceremonies, Lightning Dreaming, Tingari, and body-paint designs, drawing on the teachings of family and senior artists.
NELLIE NAKAMARA MARKS
OLIVIA WILSON
Olivia is a junior artist of Kaurna and Narungga background. She has watched and learned from Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara artists for most of her life, learning their stories and techniques.
OLIVIA WILSON
YARITJI HEFFERNAN
Born near Ernabella, Yaritji learned traditional arts from a young age in the Ernabella craft room. A skilled painter and fibre artist, she continues to share cultural knowledge through painting and weaving.
YARITJI HEFFERNAN
CYNTHIA BURKE
Cynthia Burke, from the central desert, is an internationally exhibited painter and skilled wood carver. She works with Warakurna Artists and Tjanpi Desert Weavers, continuing the traditions and stories of her Country.
CYNTHIA BURKE
JULIE WOODS
Julie, a Papulankutja Artists painter, was taught by her grandmother and draws on stories and sacred sites from Irrunytju. Her distinctive style is influenced by Tjungu Palya artists and reflects her cultural heritage.
JULIE WOODS
LYNETTE NANGALA BROWN
Lynette Brown, of Pitjantjatjara heritage, creates paintings and sculptural works that tell stories of life on Country and in community. She paints at Minyma Kutjara Arts Project and Papulankutja Artists, continuing her family’s artistic traditions.
LYNETTE NANGALA BROWN
NORA NYUTJANKA DAVIDSON
Nora Nyutjanka Davidson, born near Mantamaru, paints her Country, Multjul, and creates tjanpi (spinifex weaving). She has worked with Irrunytju Artists and on projects such as the Seven Sisters Songlines, sharing her culture and stories through art.
NORA NYUTJANKA DAVIDSON
SARAH LANE
Sarah was born in Warburton and has spent most of her life in Papulankutja (Blackstone). Inspired by her mother, one of the first artists at the women’s centre, Sarah continues a strong family tradition of painting in the Ngaanyatjarra Lands.
SARAH LANE
JULIEANNE MORTON
Julieanne Ngwarraye Morton, from Alice Springs, paints stories and landscapes from her Alyawarr country. Growing up learning from the women in her family, she depicts bush medicine, seasonal changes, and cultural heritage through her art.
JULIEANNE MORTON
ROSIE ROSS
Rosie Ross is an artist from Alyawarr country near Amaroo Station. She paints landscapes, bush foods and flowers of her Country, using vibrant colours, and regularly contributes to community arts projects and workshops.
ROSIE ROSS
BETTY PULA MORTON
Betty Pula Morton was an Alyawarre artist from Utopia, known for her vibrant paintings of bush medicine and Country. Her work reflected deep family knowledge and was continued through generations of artists in her family.
BETTY PULA MORTON
CAROL PURUNTATAMERI
Carol Puruntatameri grew up learning to paint within her family, guided by the teachings of her elders at the art centre. She began by copying traditional works and gradually developed her own style. Her paintings are inspired by cultural ceremonies, family traditions, and ancestral stories, reflecting a deep connection to her heritage.”
CAROL PURUNTATAMERI
DAPHNE NAPURRULA MARKS
Daphne, born in Alice Springs, was taught to paint by her grandmother, Narputta Nangala Jugadai. She continues her family’s artistic traditions, creating works inspired by the Yalka Tjukurrpa (Bush Onion Dreaming).
DAPHNE NAPURRULA MARKS
JANE MARGARET TIPUAMANTUMIRRI
Jane Margaret Tipuamantumirri, an artist at Munupi Arts, creates paintings inspired by cultural stories and personal experiences. Painting is both her therapy and her way of sharing stories, reflecting her creativity, warmth, and connection to her community.
JANE MARGARET TIPUAMANTUMIRRI
JOSETTE PAPAJUA
Josette is a carver, painter, and weaver who creates bark paintings, tunga (bark baskets), and pandanus mats. She often collaborates with her husband, Samuel ‘Marbuk’ Poantimului, combining their artistic talents.
JOSETTE PAPAJUA
KETURAH NANGALA ZIMRAN
Keturah, of Pintupi/Luritja heritage, has been painting for several years. Balancing her art with raising a young family, she creates works whenever she finds the time, continuing her family’s artistic traditions.
KETURAH NANGALA ZIMRAN
MARIA NAMPIJINPA BROWN
Maria Nampijinpa Brown, from Yuendumu, has been painting with Warlukurlangu Artists since 1995. Inspired by her mother and grandparents, she creates works reflecting her family’s stories, culture, and life on Country.
MARIA NAMPIJINPA BROWN
MARIE SIMPLICIA TIPUAMANTUMIRRI
Marie Simplicia Tipuamantumirri, born on Bathurst Island, has worked for many years at the local Art Centre while also teaching and supporting her community. She balances her roles as an artist, educator, and family member.
MARIE SIMPLICIA TIPUAMANTUMIRRI
MARY NAPANGARDI BROWN
Mary Napangardi Brown, from Mount Doreen and Yuendumu, paints Jukurrpa stories inherited from her ancestors. Her work reflects the Dreamings, land, and life of her Country, continuing her family’s artistic traditions.
MARY NAPANGARDI BROWN
MILLY MORTON
Milly, born and raised on her mother’s Country, began painting in 1999. Using a close dotting technique, she creates rich, textured works that reflect her strong connection to Country.
MILLY MORTON
MONICA WATSON
Monica Puntjina Watson was a Pitjantjatjara artist from Pipalyatjara working with Ninuku Arts. Her paintings drew on ancestral Dreamings, Country, and bold colour, reflecting her role as a senior cultural knowledge holder.
MONICA WATSON
NINA PURUNTATAMERI
Nina Puruntatameri, taught by her father Romuald, works in bark painting, screen printing, etching, and linocuts. She has been widely recognised, including winning the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award for New Medium, and her work is held in major Australian and international collections.
NINA PURUNTATAMERI
PATRICIA MULTA
Patricia Multa, a Luritja artist from the Central Desert, paints with Ikuntji Artists. Her work depicts seeds, flowers, and landscapes, exploring colour, movement, and seasonal change while reflecting her family’s stories and knowledge
PATRICIA MULTA
SAMUEL MILLER
Samuel was born at Ernabella and grew up in Amata and Pipalyatjara. A committed member of Ninuku Arts, his paintings portray the land east of Pipalyatjara through Tjukurpa, using minimalist forms and radiant desert colours.
SAMUEL MILLER
SIMPLICIA TIPUNGWUTI
Born on Bathurst Island in 1979, Simplicia Tipungwuti lives and works in Pirlangimpi. An emerging artist at Munupi Art Centre, she is known for her intricate compositions on large-scale canvases.
SIMPLICIA TIPUNGWUTI
STEVEN JUPURRURLA NELSON
Steven Jupurrurla Nelson was born in Alice Springs in 1978 and is a lifelong resident of Yuendumu. Painting at Warlukurlangu Artists, he depicts Janganpa Jukurrpa (Brush-tailed Possum Dreaming) from his mother’s country near Nyirrpi.
STEVEN JUPURRURLA NELSON
SURPARKRA JUGADAI
Surparkra, son of Narputta Nangala Jugadai and Timmy Jugadai, began painting as a teenager and has painted seriously since 2010. He creates works depicting Wanampi Tjukurrpa (Snake Dreaming) and Malu Tjukurrpa (Kangaroo Dreaming), continuing his family’s artistic traditions.
SURPARKRA JUGADAI
SUSAN WANJI WANJI
Susan Wanji Wanji is a highly respected artist and weaver whose practice bridges Tiwi and Arnhem Land traditions. She works across painting, printmaking, and fibre arts, developing a distinctive and culturally rich visual language.
SUSAN WANJI WANJI
THEO HUDSON
Theo Nangala Hudson was born in 1989 and grew up in Nyirripi. Inspired by watching her grandmother paint, she began working with Warlukurlangu Artists at a young age and continues to develop her practice today.
THEO HUDSON
VIRGINIA GALLARLA
Virginia Gallarla, a Tiwi artist from Wurrumiyanga, began painting after retiring and joined Munupi Art Centre in 2014. Her work depicts seasons, ceremonies, bush foods, medicine, and ceremonial objects, reflecting Tiwi culture and storytelling.
VIRGINIA GALLARLA
PAULINA PURUNTATAMERI
Paulina ‘Jedda’ Puruntatameri, a senior Cultural Leader at Munupi, paints to preserve Tiwi culture, language, and stories. Her work, including depictions of Maruti the female crocodile, reflects her commitment to cultural knowledge and its transmission to future generations.
PAULINA PURUNTATAMERI
MARGARET GALLAGHER
Margaret Nangala Gallagher, born in 1967 in Alice Springs, is a Warlpiri artist from the remote community of Nyirripi in the Northern Territory of Australia. She began painting with Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation in 2007, learning from her mother, artist Pauline Napangardi Gallagher. Her work depicts traditional Jukurrpa (Dreaming) stories passed down through generations, particularly her Yankirri (Emu) Dreaming from her father’s side. Alongside her artistic practice, Margaret studies at Batchelor College and works at the Nyirripi Women’s Centre.
MARGARET GALLAGHER
ALICE DIXON NAMPITJINPA
Alice Dixon Nampitjinpa was born near Talaalpi on the Western Australian border. Before painting, she taught young girls dancing and desert traditions at Kintore School. She began painting on collaborative canvases and expressed her rich cultural heritage through her art.
ALICE DIXON NAMPITJINPA
AKAY KOO’OILA
Akay Koo’oila was a Wik Mungkan Elder from Aurukun who began painting in 2010. Her work reflected a dynamic and highly individual style, with vivid and expressionistic representations of her Country, her husband’s Country and the outstation of Ti Tree, celebrating bush foods and native flora. Her work was exhibited nationally and is held in private and public collections.
AKAY KOO’OILA
ANDREA MIMPITJA ADAMSON
Andrea Mimpitja Adamson was an Anangu Pitjantjatjara artist from Amata in the APY Lands. Coming from a respected artistic family, she learned to paint from her grandfather Tiger Palpatja and painted stories of Seven Sisters, Wanampi, and her Country.
ANDREA MIMPITJA ADAMSON
ANMANARI BROWN
Anmanari Brown was a pioneering artist from Purpurna, who lived a traditional nomadic life before settling at Warburton. She painted the Kungkarrakalpa Tjukurpa (Seven Sisters Dreaming) using patterned lines and symbolic colours, conveying journeys and stories passed down from her mother.
ANMANARI BROWN
BETSY LEWIS
Betsy Napangardi Lewis was a Warlpiri artist from Yuendumu who began painting with Warlukurlangu Artists in 1999. Her work focused on the Mina Mina Dreaming, an important women’s story from her Country on the edge of the Tanami and Gibson Deserts. She developed a highly distinctive style, marked by confident use of colour and layered lines that brought strong movement and depth to her paintings.
BETSY LEWIS
JEANNIE ULURU
Jeannie Uluru Reid was a Yankunytjatjara traditional owner born at Evelyn Downs. From a young age, she maintained strong connections with her Country at Uluru, learning language, songlines, and art forms. She later married Richard Reid and raised three children while passing on cultural knowledge.
JEANNIE ULURU
CORNELIA TIPUAMANTUMIRRI
Cornelia Tipuamantumirri was a senior Tiwi artist and elder from Melville Island. Painting later in life, she used traditional Tiwi tools and ochres to depict land, sea, light, and cultural knowledge rooted in her Country.
CORNELIA TIPUAMANTUMIRRI
ISAIAH NAGURRGURRBA
Isaiah Nagurrgurrba was an Aboriginal artist and screen printer from Gunbalanya in Arnhem Land. Working with Injalak Arts from 1989, he depicted Yawk Yawk Dreaming and was deeply involved in the ceremonial and cultural life of his community.
ISAIAH NAGURRGURRBA
LIDDY NAPANANGKA WALKER
Liddy Napanangka Walker was a Warlpiri artist from Mount Doreen. She grew up in bush camps and later settled in Yuendumu, where she worked in the community and painted extensively with Warlukurlangu Artists. Her works celebrated her Country around Mount Theo and west of Yuendumu.
LIDDY NAPANANGKA WALKER
NELLY PATTERSON
Nelly Patterson was a senior Anangu woman from the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands. Raised traditionally in the bush, she later worked with pottery and lived across Central Australia and Adelaide. As a respected elder, she was a custodian of important stories, law and cultural knowledge passed down through generations.
NELLY PATTERSON
PADDY STEWART
Paddy Japaljarri Stewart was a Warlpiri artist from Mungapunju, south of Yuendumu. Deeply involved in cultural education and community leadership, he painted for many years and played a key role at Warlukurlangu Artists. His work gained national and international recognition through major exhibitions and printmaking projects.
PADDY STEWART
ROSIE NANGALA FLEMING
Rosie Nangala Fleming was a Warlpiri artist from Yuendumu who lived a traditional nomadic life in her early years. A pioneer of women’s cultural and artistic practices, she painted powerful Jukurrpa stories connected to water, fire, emu, bush medicine, and wildflowers.
ROSIE NANGALA FLEMING
JUDY WATSON
Judy Napangardi Watson was a Warlpiri artist born at Mount Doreen Station. She painted the Mina Mina Dreaming with a distinctive dragged-dot style and vibrant colours. Her works reflected her deep knowledge of Jukurrpa, combining abstract forms with sacred markings.
JUDY WATSON
MARY ANNE NAMPINJINPA MICHAELS
Mary Anne Nampijinpa Michaels was born near Lappi Lappi Rock on Mount Doreen Station. She learned the traditional stories, plants, and animals of her country from her parents. Painting with Warlukurlangu Artists, she depicted her father’s Jukurrpa and Dreamings, sharing her culture through art.
MARY ANNE NAMPINJINPA MICHAELS
RAMA SAMPSON
Rama Kaltu-Kaltu Sampson was an Anangu elder from the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands. Raised traditionally in the bush, he held extensive cultural knowledge and was an accomplished painter and respected Ngangkari (traditional healer). His work focused on his Country, Kuntjanu, and the powerful Wanampi (Rainbow Serpent).
RAMA SAMPSON
JORNA NAPURRURLA NELSON
Jorna Napurrurla Nelson was a Warlpiri artist born near Mt Doreen and later based in Yuendumu and Nyirripi. Painting with Warlukurlangu Artists, she depicted her family’s Jukurrpa stories and expressed a strong connection to Country and bush food traditions.
JORNA NAPURRURLA NELSON
PAULINE NAPANGARDI
Pauline Napangardi Gallagher was a Warlpiri artist from Yuendumu and Nyirripi. Painting with Warlukurlangu Artists, she depicted Pikilyi and Mina Mina Jukurrpa using strong colours and contemporary interpretations of tradition.
PAULINE NAPANGARDI
MITJILI NAPURRULA
Mitjili Napurrula was a painter born at Papunya, part of the Pintupi/Luritja community. She depicted stories inherited from her parents and the desert country where she grew up. Her works conveyed strong cultural narratives and vibrant imagery of her ancestral land.
MITJILI NAPURRULA
NAMI KULYURU
Nami Kulyuru was an artist of Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara heritage from Ernabella (Pukatja). Renowned for her batik silks, weaving and hand-painted jewellery, she was also a musician and educator. Her practice reflected a strong connection to culture, creativity, and community engagement.
NAMI KULYURU
WILLIE WILSON
Willie Ngungutjara Wilson was an Anangu artist from the Pipalyatjara region, deeply connected to his Country and Tjukurpa. Raised in the traditional way, his paintings reflected strong storytelling and cultural knowledge, depicting important sites such as waterholes and the Wanampi, the powerful ancestral serpent.
WILLIE WILSON
THE RISING SUN EMBLEM
The Rising Sun badge is an iconic military emblem worn by the Australian Army. First introduced in 1902 for the Boer War, the design features a fan-shaped array of bayonets and swords surrounding a crown. It symbolizes the spirit of the ANZACs and has evolved through eight distinct patterns.
THE RISING SUN EMBLEM
CEDRIC VARCOE
Cedric was born in Adelaide in 1984 and is of Narangga and Ngarrindjeri heritage. His mother’s Ramindjerri heritage is connected to the Victor Harbor and Goolwa region, where Cedric lives with his family. Cedric has won multiple local awards and has been exhibiting since 1997.
CEDRIC VARCOE
ATHENA GRANITES
Athena Nangala Granites is a Warlpiri artist from Yuendumu, born in Alice Springs in 1994. Coming from a strong lineage of artists, she learned to paint by observing her mother, sisters and grandmother. Her practice is grounded in cultural knowledge passed down through generations, and she continues this legacy alongside her family and community.
ATHENA GRANITES
KAREN BARNES
Karen Napaljarri Barnes, a Warlukurlangu Artists painter, creates works inspired by Dreaming stories from her family’s country at Mina Mina. She learned to paint alongside her grandmother and depicts Women’s Dreaming, Wallaby Dreaming, and Bush Carrot Dreaming through her art.
KAREN BARNES
MURDIE NAMPIJINPA MORRIS
Murdie (Maudie) Nampijinpa Morris, from the Tanami Desert, has been painting with Warlukurlangu Artists since 2012. Her works reflect the traditional knowledge, stories, and Country she learned growing up.
MURDIE NAMPIJINPA MORRIS
PAULINE NAMPIJINPA SINGLETON
Pauline Nampijinpa Singleton, from Yuendumu, has been painting with Warlukurlangu Artists since 1999. She creates works depicting her mother’s Jukurrpa stories, reflecting the Dreamings, land, and life of her Country, while actively supporting her community through youth programs and local media.
PAULINE NAMPIJINPA SINGLETON
TINA NAPANGARDI MARTIN
Born in Yuendumu in 1960, Tina Napangardi Martin Robertson has been painting with Warlukurlangu Artists since the mid-1990s. Her works depict her father’s Jukurrpa, including Honey Ant, Snake Vine, and Mushroom Dreamings.
TINA NAPANGARDI MARTIN
VALDA NAPANGARDI GRANITES
Valda grew up and continues to live in Yuendumu. Painting with Warlukurlangu Artists since the early 1990s, she shares Jukurrpa stories passed down through generations of her family.
VALDA NAPANGARDI GRANITES
GABRIEL MARALNGURRA
Gabriel Maralngurra, from Oenpelli in northern Arnhem Land, is a painter, printmaker, and long-time driving force behind Injalak Arts & Crafts. He has exhibited widely in Australia and internationally and serves as an ambassador for his community’s art and culture.
GABRIEL MARALNGURRA
BIANCA GARDINER-DODD
Bianca is a contemporary Aboriginal artist born in 1978, she lives and works on the New South Wales north coast. Her practice is inspired by the coastal environment, drawing on estuaries, beaches and marine life to explore themes of harmony, unity and lived experience. With a background in dance, education and choreography, her art extends a creative journey grounded in movement, storytelling and cultural connection.
BIANCA GARDINER-DODD
DAISYBELL KULYURU
Daisybell Kulyuru, born in Ernabella, is an artist who paints bush tucker and traditional imagery. She has worked at Ernabella Arts and as an Aboriginal Education Worker, and continues to create while living in Adelaide with her children
DAISYBELL KULYURU
DAMIEN AND YILPI MARKS
Damien and Yilpi Marks are collaborative artists who create works depicting traditional desert life. Both have strong family and cultural connections to the Central and Western Desert, and their art reflects their heritage and shared experiences.
DAMIEN AND YILPI MARKS
KATHLEEN BUZZACOTT
Kathleen Buzzacott, from Alice Springs, paints Aboriginal stories inspired by her life experiences and native bush creatures. She also creates jewellery using natural seeds and traditional forms, gaining recognition for her designs.
KATHLEEN BUZZACOTT
KURUN WARUN
Kurun Warun, of the Gunditjmara language group, is a dot painter, musician, and performer who expresses culture through art, music, and dance. Beginning his artistic journey at eight, he has gained international recognition for his work and performances.
KURUN WARUN
NELLIE NAKAMARA MARKS
Nellie Marks Nakamarra, sister of Elizabeth Marks Nakamarra, paints Dreaming stories from the Western Desert. Her work reflects women’s ceremonies, Lightning Dreaming, Tingari, and body-paint designs, drawing on the teachings of family and senior artists.
NELLIE NAKAMARA MARKS
OLIVIA WILSON
Olivia is a junior artist of Kaurna and Narungga background. She has watched and learned from Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara artists for most of her life, learning their stories and techniques.
OLIVIA WILSON
YARITJI HEFFERNAN
Born near Ernabella, Yaritji learned traditional arts from a young age in the Ernabella craft room. A skilled painter and fibre artist, she continues to share cultural knowledge through painting and weaving.
YARITJI HEFFERNAN
CYNTHIA BURKE
Cynthia Burke, from the central desert, is an internationally exhibited painter and skilled wood carver. She works with Warakurna Artists and Tjanpi Desert Weavers, continuing the traditions and stories of her Country.
CYNTHIA BURKE
JULIE WOODS
Julie, a Papulankutja Artists painter, was taught by her grandmother and draws on stories and sacred sites from Irrunytju. Her distinctive style is influenced by Tjungu Palya artists and reflects her cultural heritage.
JULIE WOODS
LYNETTE NANGALA BROWN
Lynette Brown, of Pitjantjatjara heritage, creates paintings and sculptural works that tell stories of life on Country and in community. She paints at Minyma Kutjara Arts Project and Papulankutja Artists, continuing her family’s artistic traditions.
LYNETTE NANGALA BROWN
NORA NYUTJANKA DAVIDSON
Nora Nyutjanka Davidson, born near Mantamaru, paints her Country, Multjul, and creates tjanpi (spinifex weaving). She has worked with Irrunytju Artists and on projects such as the Seven Sisters Songlines, sharing her culture and stories through art.
NORA NYUTJANKA DAVIDSON
SARAH LANE
Sarah was born in Warburton and has spent most of her life in Papulankutja (Blackstone). Inspired by her mother, one of the first artists at the women’s centre, Sarah continues a strong family tradition of painting in the Ngaanyatjarra Lands.
SARAH LANE
JULIEANNE MORTON
Julieanne Ngwarraye Morton, from Alice Springs, paints stories and landscapes from her Alyawarr country. Growing up learning from the women in her family, she depicts bush medicine, seasonal changes, and cultural heritage through her art.
JULIEANNE MORTON
ROSIE ROSS
Rosie Ross is an artist from Alyawarr country near Amaroo Station. She paints landscapes, bush foods and flowers of her Country, using vibrant colours, and regularly contributes to community arts projects and workshops.
ROSIE ROSS
BETTY PULA MORTON
Betty Pula Morton was an Alyawarre artist from Utopia, known for her vibrant paintings of bush medicine and Country. Her work reflected deep family knowledge and was continued through generations of artists in her family.
BETTY PULA MORTON
CAROL PURUNTATAMERI
Carol Puruntatameri grew up learning to paint within her family, guided by the teachings of her elders at the art centre. She began by copying traditional works and gradually developed her own style. Her paintings are inspired by cultural ceremonies, family traditions, and ancestral stories, reflecting a deep connection to her heritage.”
CAROL PURUNTATAMERI
DAPHNE NAPURRULA MARKS
Daphne, born in Alice Springs, was taught to paint by her grandmother, Narputta Nangala Jugadai. She continues her family’s artistic traditions, creating works inspired by the Yalka Tjukurrpa (Bush Onion Dreaming).
DAPHNE NAPURRULA MARKS
JANE MARGARET TIPUAMANTUMIRRI
Jane Margaret Tipuamantumirri, an artist at Munupi Arts, creates paintings inspired by cultural stories and personal experiences. Painting is both her therapy and her way of sharing stories, reflecting her creativity, warmth, and connection to her community.
JANE MARGARET TIPUAMANTUMIRRI
JOSETTE PAPAJUA
Josette is a carver, painter, and weaver who creates bark paintings, tunga (bark baskets), and pandanus mats. She often collaborates with her husband, Samuel ‘Marbuk’ Poantimului, combining their artistic talents.
JOSETTE PAPAJUA
KETURAH NANGALA ZIMRAN
Keturah, of Pintupi/Luritja heritage, has been painting for several years. Balancing her art with raising a young family, she creates works whenever she finds the time, continuing her family’s artistic traditions.
KETURAH NANGALA ZIMRAN
MARIA NAMPIJINPA BROWN
Maria Nampijinpa Brown, from Yuendumu, has been painting with Warlukurlangu Artists since 1995. Inspired by her mother and grandparents, she creates works reflecting her family’s stories, culture, and life on Country.
MARIA NAMPIJINPA BROWN
MARIE SIMPLICIA TIPUAMANTUMIRRI
Marie Simplicia Tipuamantumirri, born on Bathurst Island, has worked for many years at the local Art Centre while also teaching and supporting her community. She balances her roles as an artist, educator, and family member.
MARIE SIMPLICIA TIPUAMANTUMIRRI
MARY NAPANGARDI BROWN
Mary Napangardi Brown, from Mount Doreen and Yuendumu, paints Jukurrpa stories inherited from her ancestors. Her work reflects the Dreamings, land, and life of her Country, continuing her family’s artistic traditions.
MARY NAPANGARDI BROWN
MILLY MORTON
Milly, born and raised on her mother’s Country, began painting in 1999. Using a close dotting technique, she creates rich, textured works that reflect her strong connection to Country.
MILLY MORTON
MONICA WATSON
Monica Puntjina Watson was a Pitjantjatjara artist from Pipalyatjara working with Ninuku Arts. Her paintings drew on ancestral Dreamings, Country, and bold colour, reflecting her role as a senior cultural knowledge holder.
MONICA WATSON
NINA PURUNTATAMERI
Nina Puruntatameri, taught by her father Romuald, works in bark painting, screen printing, etching, and linocuts. She has been widely recognised, including winning the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award for New Medium, and her work is held in major Australian and international collections.
NINA PURUNTATAMERI
PATRICIA MULTA
Patricia Multa, a Luritja artist from the Central Desert, paints with Ikuntji Artists. Her work depicts seeds, flowers, and landscapes, exploring colour, movement, and seasonal change while reflecting her family’s stories and knowledge
PATRICIA MULTA
SAMUEL MILLER
Samuel was born at Ernabella and grew up in Amata and Pipalyatjara. A committed member of Ninuku Arts, his paintings portray the land east of Pipalyatjara through Tjukurpa, using minimalist forms and radiant desert colours.
SAMUEL MILLER
SIMPLICIA TIPUNGWUTI
Born on Bathurst Island in 1979, Simplicia Tipungwuti lives and works in Pirlangimpi. An emerging artist at Munupi Art Centre, she is known for her intricate compositions on large-scale canvases.
SIMPLICIA TIPUNGWUTI
STEVEN JUPURRURLA NELSON
Steven Jupurrurla Nelson was born in Alice Springs in 1978 and is a lifelong resident of Yuendumu. Painting at Warlukurlangu Artists, he depicts Janganpa Jukurrpa (Brush-tailed Possum Dreaming) from his mother’s country near Nyirrpi.
STEVEN JUPURRURLA NELSON
SURPARKRA JUGADAI
Surparkra, son of Narputta Nangala Jugadai and Timmy Jugadai, began painting as a teenager and has painted seriously since 2010. He creates works depicting Wanampi Tjukurrpa (Snake Dreaming) and Malu Tjukurrpa (Kangaroo Dreaming), continuing his family’s artistic traditions.
SURPARKRA JUGADAI
SUSAN WANJI WANJI
Susan Wanji Wanji is a highly respected artist and weaver whose practice bridges Tiwi and Arnhem Land traditions. She works across painting, printmaking, and fibre arts, developing a distinctive and culturally rich visual language.
SUSAN WANJI WANJI
THEO HUDSON
Theo Nangala Hudson was born in 1989 and grew up in Nyirripi. Inspired by watching her grandmother paint, she began working with Warlukurlangu Artists at a young age and continues to develop her practice today.
THEO HUDSON
VIRGINIA GALLARLA
Virginia Gallarla, a Tiwi artist from Wurrumiyanga, began painting after retiring and joined Munupi Art Centre in 2014. Her work depicts seasons, ceremonies, bush foods, medicine, and ceremonial objects, reflecting Tiwi culture and storytelling.
VIRGINIA GALLARLA
PAULINA PURUNTATAMERI
Paulina ‘Jedda’ Puruntatameri, a senior Cultural Leader at Munupi, paints to preserve Tiwi culture, language, and stories. Her work, including depictions of Maruti the female crocodile, reflects her commitment to cultural knowledge and its transmission to future generations.
PAULINA PURUNTATAMERI
MARGARET GALLAGHER
Margaret Nangala Gallagher, born in 1967 in Alice Springs, is a Warlpiri artist from the remote community of Nyirripi in the Northern Territory of Australia. She began painting with Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation in 2007, learning from her mother, artist Pauline Napangardi Gallagher. Her work depicts traditional Jukurrpa (Dreaming) stories passed down through generations, particularly her Yankirri (Emu) Dreaming from her father’s side. Alongside her artistic practice, Margaret studies at Batchelor College and works at the Nyirripi Women’s Centre.
MARGARET GALLAGHER
ALICE DIXON NAMPITJINPA
Alice Dixon Nampitjinpa was born near Talaalpi on the Western Australian border. Before painting, she taught young girls dancing and desert traditions at Kintore School. She began painting on collaborative canvases and expressed her rich cultural heritage through her art.
ALICE DIXON NAMPITJINPA
AKAY KOO’OILA
Akay Koo’oila was a Wik Mungkan Elder from Aurukun who began painting in 2010. Her work reflected a dynamic and highly individual style, with vivid and expressionistic representations of her Country, her husband’s Country and the outstation of Ti Tree, celebrating bush foods and native flora. Her work was exhibited nationally and is held in private and public collections.
AKAY KOO’OILA
ANDREA MIMPITJA ADAMSON
Andrea Mimpitja Adamson was an Anangu Pitjantjatjara artist from Amata in the APY Lands. Coming from a respected artistic family, she learned to paint from her grandfather Tiger Palpatja and painted stories of Seven Sisters, Wanampi, and her Country.
ANDREA MIMPITJA ADAMSON
ANMANARI BROWN
Anmanari Brown was a pioneering artist from Purpurna, who lived a traditional nomadic life before settling at Warburton. She painted the Kungkarrakalpa Tjukurpa (Seven Sisters Dreaming) using patterned lines and symbolic colours, conveying journeys and stories passed down from her mother.
ANMANARI BROWN
BETSY LEWIS
Betsy Napangardi Lewis was a Warlpiri artist from Yuendumu who began painting with Warlukurlangu Artists in 1999. Her work focused on the Mina Mina Dreaming, an important women’s story from her Country on the edge of the Tanami and Gibson Deserts. She developed a highly distinctive style, marked by confident use of colour and layered lines that brought strong movement and depth to her paintings.
BETSY LEWIS
JEANNIE ULURU
Jeannie Uluru Reid was a Yankunytjatjara traditional owner born at Evelyn Downs. From a young age, she maintained strong connections with her Country at Uluru, learning language, songlines, and art forms. She later married Richard Reid and raised three children while passing on cultural knowledge.
JEANNIE ULURU
CORNELIA TIPUAMANTUMIRRI
Cornelia Tipuamantumirri was a senior Tiwi artist and elder from Melville Island. Painting later in life, she used traditional Tiwi tools and ochres to depict land, sea, light, and cultural knowledge rooted in her Country.
CORNELIA TIPUAMANTUMIRRI
ISAIAH NAGURRGURRBA
Isaiah Nagurrgurrba was an Aboriginal artist and screen printer from Gunbalanya in Arnhem Land. Working with Injalak Arts from 1989, he depicted Yawk Yawk Dreaming and was deeply involved in the ceremonial and cultural life of his community.
ISAIAH NAGURRGURRBA
LIDDY NAPANANGKA WALKER
Liddy Napanangka Walker was a Warlpiri artist from Mount Doreen. She grew up in bush camps and later settled in Yuendumu, where she worked in the community and painted extensively with Warlukurlangu Artists. Her works celebrated her Country around Mount Theo and west of Yuendumu.
LIDDY NAPANANGKA WALKER
NELLY PATTERSON
Nelly Patterson was a senior Anangu woman from the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands. Raised traditionally in the bush, she later worked with pottery and lived across Central Australia and Adelaide. As a respected elder, she was a custodian of important stories, law and cultural knowledge passed down through generations.
NELLY PATTERSON
PADDY STEWART
Paddy Japaljarri Stewart was a Warlpiri artist from Mungapunju, south of Yuendumu. Deeply involved in cultural education and community leadership, he painted for many years and played a key role at Warlukurlangu Artists. His work gained national and international recognition through major exhibitions and printmaking projects.
PADDY STEWART
ROSIE NANGALA FLEMING
Rosie Nangala Fleming was a Warlpiri artist from Yuendumu who lived a traditional nomadic life in her early years. A pioneer of women’s cultural and artistic practices, she painted powerful Jukurrpa stories connected to water, fire, emu, bush medicine, and wildflowers.
ROSIE NANGALA FLEMING
JUDY WATSON
Judy Napangardi Watson was a Warlpiri artist born at Mount Doreen Station. She painted the Mina Mina Dreaming with a distinctive dragged-dot style and vibrant colours. Her works reflected her deep knowledge of Jukurrpa, combining abstract forms with sacred markings.
JUDY WATSON
MARY ANNE NAMPINJINPA MICHAELS
Mary Anne Nampijinpa Michaels was born near Lappi Lappi Rock on Mount Doreen Station. She learned the traditional stories, plants, and animals of her country from her parents. Painting with Warlukurlangu Artists, she depicted her father’s Jukurrpa and Dreamings, sharing her culture through art.
MARY ANNE NAMPINJINPA MICHAELS
RAMA SAMPSON
Rama Kaltu-Kaltu Sampson was an Anangu elder from the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands. Raised traditionally in the bush, he held extensive cultural knowledge and was an accomplished painter and respected Ngangkari (traditional healer). His work focused on his Country, Kuntjanu, and the powerful Wanampi (Rainbow Serpent).
RAMA SAMPSON
JORNA NAPURRURLA NELSON
Jorna Napurrurla Nelson was a Warlpiri artist born near Mt Doreen and later based in Yuendumu and Nyirripi. Painting with Warlukurlangu Artists, she depicted her family’s Jukurrpa stories and expressed a strong connection to Country and bush food traditions.
JORNA NAPURRURLA NELSON
PAULINE NAPANGARDI
Pauline Napangardi Gallagher was a Warlpiri artist from Yuendumu and Nyirripi. Painting with Warlukurlangu Artists, she depicted Pikilyi and Mina Mina Jukurrpa using strong colours and contemporary interpretations of tradition.
PAULINE NAPANGARDI
MITJILI NAPURRULA
Mitjili Napurrula was a painter born at Papunya, part of the Pintupi/Luritja community. She depicted stories inherited from her parents and the desert country where she grew up. Her works conveyed strong cultural narratives and vibrant imagery of her ancestral land.
MITJILI NAPURRULA
NAMI KULYURU
Nami Kulyuru was an artist of Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara heritage from Ernabella (Pukatja). Renowned for her batik silks, weaving and hand-painted jewellery, she was also a musician and educator. Her practice reflected a strong connection to culture, creativity, and community engagement.
NAMI KULYURU
WILLIE WILSON
Willie Ngungutjara Wilson was an Anangu artist from the Pipalyatjara region, deeply connected to his Country and Tjukurpa. Raised in the traditional way, his paintings reflected strong storytelling and cultural knowledge, depicting important sites such as waterholes and the Wanampi, the powerful ancestral serpent.
WILLIE WILSON
HOWARD STEER
Howard William Steer, a Broken Hill artist, creates ‘Story Art’—paintings that humorously depict everyday life and events. His work, in a naïve realist style, combines satire, wit, and narrative, as seen in his playful ‘Flying Doctor’ series.
HOWARD STEER
KERRY SANDHU
Kerry Sandhu, a self-taught acrylic artist, creates works honoring fallen servicemen, servicewomen, and animals. She also produces related merchandise and jewellery, sharing her art and message of remembrance with the community.
KERRY SANDHU
LEAH ANKETELL
Leah, born in Bulli, NSW, creates detailed and sensitive paintings of Australian birds. Drawing on childhood visions and outback culture, she works full-time in oil and ink on large-scale canvas and linen.
LEAH ANKETELL
THE RISING SUN EMBLEM
The Rising Sun badge is an iconic military emblem worn by the Australian Army. First introduced in 1902 for the Boer War, the design features a fan-shaped array of bayonets and swords surrounding a crown. It symbolizes the spirit of the ANZACs and has evolved through eight distinct patterns.