NAIDOC Week illuminations

This painting depicts the puli puli (rocks) at two different sites. Keturah Zimran paints the landscapes at Haasts Bluff where she grew up and also at Karrkurrutintja (Lake Mcdonald in Pintupi). Karrkurrutintja country is an important site of the Pilkati (snake) Tjukurrpa (dreaming) of Kaniya Kutjarra (two carpet snakes, two brothers, two Tjangalas). Keturah’s distinctive and bold style has won her numerous art awards. Her work is now part of the Parliament House collection.

Pirrnpirrnga depicts the ‘pin pin’ desert bore outstation near Kintore. This is Anne’s father’s Tjukurrpa and country. In the Tjukurrpa, the snakes are travelling around the sand hill country, looking for water. Ann was born in Alice Springs and grew up in Papunya. She predominantly paints the Tjukurrpa from her father’s country, Pirrnpirrnga - Desert Bore, depicting the surrounding tali tali (sand hills) with bold lines, overlayed with fine dot work in varying colours.

Selma Coulthard’s Aboriginal name is Nunay and she is from the Pertama Maduthara Luritja Tribe from Urrampinyi (Tempe Downs Station). Selma is an accomplished acrylic artist and only recently started painting in watercolor. I was taken to Ntaria (Hermannsburg) where I did my schooling. My love for art started there when I saw the Namatjira brothers doing their painting. No work is the same each piece is unique in its own right. I have always wanted to be an artist and I hope one day my work will be recognised.

Western Aranda artist Hubert Pareroultja is the 2020 winner of the Art Gallery of NSW prestigious Wynne Prize for the best landscape painting of Australian scenery in oils or watercolours. Herbert prefers to paint in summer in the morning or late in the day when strong shadows define the landscape features. His work is a distinctive style in the tradition of the Hermannsburg school. Hubert says the Elders once told him, 'Look at the hills, we all paint them differently and you should have your own individual style, although the country is the same.'

Born in Canberra, Leah Brideson is a Kamilaroi woman from her Grandmother’s country in the Gunnedah region. Leah is a self-taught contemporary artist and has been painting professionally since 2013. Water Illuminated is a representation of the flow of water on country. The sun rays enlighten the ripples of the water and the underlying texture of country as the water flows through.

'Always Connected is a representation of the connection between my siblings from childhood to adulthood and beyond. In one word, my relationship and connections between myself and my siblings is "colourful". Although we are on our own journeys with our own families, we are always connected.'

Molly Jinjingarli Tasman grew up in the the Tanami Desert and lived a traditional lifestyle at Mt Doree, Yarturlu-yarturlu and Yurrampi. Molly is dedicated to the preservation of her culture and works tirelessly to this end and has been teaching children in school bilingual education programs for many years. She loves to paint and finds a lot of freedom in this form of expression, showing her gentle feminine personality in her work. Her art has been featured in exhibitions all over Australia since 1992.

Ursula Napangardi Marks is a young artist following in the traditions of the Warlpiri people. Napangardi’s art can be complex or very simple. Her art depicts Jukurrpa Dreaming stories, containing information about the creation of the landscape, knowledge of resources and Warlpiri law or an aspect of Jukurrpa. She is a lady who has been in the most important ceremonies for Warlpiri women, including her sons' and nephews' ceremonies.

Mother of seven and grandmother to 5 children, Daphne has always been an artistic individual, leaning more towards the tactile ceramics field as a student in secondary school and coming to find her painting ability in 2004. Her inspiration comes from many places including her own life experiences and events, coupled with her knowledge of bush food which was passed down to her from her mother, and is a signature representation in her works. Daphne’s mother’s own personal story of growing up on the mission also inspires Daphne’s paintings, as well as her grandmother, a child of the stolen generations. With vibrant colours and striking technique, Daphne’s passion and creativity is apparent in each of her contemporary paintings.

As a mother of eight and grandmother to eleven, Margaret's painting ability is coupled with a talent for time management. Working around a busy schedule, Margaret produces a steady flow of paintings for scheduled shows. In 2005, after becoming frustrated and unsatisfied with painting realistically, Margaret found comfort with a more contemporary and abstract style. Drawing inspiration from the immediate events in her life, Margaret reflects on many other areas for inspiration; the environment, family stories, living in the Cape, emotions and anything else that has a direct effect on her as an individual.

Krystal Hurst is a Worimi Artist and Creative Director of Gillawarra Arts, originating from Taree on NSW’s mid north coast. She is a jewellery designer, painter, printmaker and workshop facilitator whose arts practice is centred on ‘a way of being’ while reinvigorating and strengthening culture.

Krystal's inspiration derives from her Country, memories and stories. She was awarded ACT NAIDOC Artist of the Year in 2017 and has been a finalist in the prestigious Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards in the past two years.