Articles
Contact Details
Ninuku Arts
Contact Details: Art Centre Manager: Manager
Kalka Community, PMB 65 via Alice Springs NT 0872
T: +61 (0)8 8954 8054
E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Follow Us on Facebook
Yangi Yangi Fox
Yangi Yangi (Mrs. Fox) grew up and went to school at the Ernabella Mission. She then moved to the cattle station near Amata. When Pipalyatjara became a homeland, she moved back here to be closer to her traditional lands. Her Tjamu (grandfather's) country is Aran.
Mrs. Fox is a senior woman in the Pipalyatjara Community and holds a position at the local Health Clinic. She is also an astute craftswoman, an expert in punu carving and heavily involved in culture and ceremony. Her two daughters - Renae and Tanisha - are both practicing artists as well. Mrs. Fox has a meticulous and unique way of painting that defines her as an important artist at the centre.
Examples of Artist's Work
Wati Ngintaka Tjukurpa 2010 121 x 91cm acrylic on canvas
Wati Ngintaka Tjukurpa 2009 132 x 96cm acrylic on canvas
Tjulkiwa Atira Atira
Tjulkiwa was born in 1951 at Watarru, South Australia. Her mother is the late Kuntjiriya Mick. Her father's country is Kuntjanu (SA) and her mother is from Walytatjarta (NT). She now lives at Pipalyatjara with her family. From 1968 she worked in Ernabella in the craftroom.
Examples of Artist's Work
Arulya 2011 107 x 91cm acrylic on linen
Arulya 2011 168 x 183cm acrylic on linen
Stanley Nyayati Young
Stanley was born west of Irrunytju at a secret sacred rockhole site, in around1949. He grew up in the bush and travelled with his family around the areas of Irrunytju and Pipalyatjara. As a young boy he went to school at Ernabella Mission but returned to Pipalyatjara as a man where he taught white fella's Pitjantjatjara. This was a long time ago, when Anangu (People in Pitjantjatjara) were living in Wiltja's (traditonal shelter's), though Stanley lived in a house.
Nyayati has had many jobs including geologist for mining companies, rubbish truck driver and cattleman, working on the Amata station and Mulga Park station. He tells of one story when he rode from Alice Springs to Kalka bareback in a race with a friend. He now lives in Kalka Community and is a senior lawman, respected elder and celebrated dancer.
Examples of Artist's Work
Kalaya Tjukurpa 2010 146 x 121cm acrylic on canvas
Kalaya Tjukurpa 2011 183 x 153cm acrylic on linen
Sandy Brumby
Sandy Brumby was born in the bush at 50 Downs, an outstation near Pukatja (Ernabella). He grew up there with his mother Doll Brumby, his father and his brother and sister, Harry Brumby and Maggie Brumby. He worked as a young fella at Mount Cavanagh, a cattle station near Kulgera in the Northern Territory. He was a stockman there - mustering bullocks, fencing, tending to the cattle. He met his wife, Tjukapati Nola Brumby in Pukatja (Ernabella), then they moved to Amata, and finally settled in Pipalyatjara, where they had two children - one boy and one girl.
He's been here for a long time, since before Kalka and Pipalyatjara communities existed. In 2010, in his seventies, Sandy Brumby picked up a paint brush for the first time. He has come to the Art Centre religiously ever since, discovering a passion for paint and need to tell his story. The marks he uses are reminiscent of symbols seen in rock paintings around Uluru and Kata Tjuta. His paintings are raw and bold, and demonstrate a strong connection to his country and culture. He has a deep love of colour and uses a broad palette when he paints, selecting the colours that sit side by side with natural intuition.
Examples of Artist's Work
Walytjatjara 2011 176 x 153cm acrylic on linen
Ngayuku Ngura 2010 107 x 91cm acrylic on linen
Samuel Miller
Samuel was born at Ernabella mission to Helen Miller the first wife of Mr Miller (Ninuku artist Nampitjin Molly Miller is the second wife). He grew up in Amata and Pipalyatjara, and now lives in Kalka, with his second mother Molly, and her family.
He is a committed member of Ninuku Arts, usually painting everyday. Samuel’s paintings depict the traditional iconography of his land that lies to the east of Pipalyatjara. Rockholes, creeks and hills feature in his paintings, all immersed in Tjukurpa (Dreaming stories). Samuel's paintings are mesmerising with their minimalist composition and extensive use of radiating colours, mostly drawn from the varying colours in the landscape surrounding his country.
Examples of Artist's Work
Ngayuku Ngura 2010 182 x 121cm acrylic on linen
Ngayuku Ngura 2010 122 x 122cm acrylic on linen
Nyanu Watson
Nyanu Watson grew up in Ernabella before it became a mission. She moved back to Kalka in the Homelands movement, when Anangu (People in Pitjantjatjara) began to return to their country. She is now a prominent member of Kalka Community where she lives with her family, although she does like to visit her sister and fellow artist who lives in Kaltjiti/Fregon.
Nyanu is known for her unusual depictions of various animals found in the surrounding district where she lives. She uses a combination of brushwork and dotting to create the highly-stylised and unqiue creatures that she had became known for. Some of her favourites include the Ngintaka: Lizard, Anumara: Caterpillar, and Kakalyalya: Cockatoo.
Examples of Artist's Work
Nyanu Watson 2009 65 x 51.5cm acrylic on canvas
Kakalyalya 2010 122 x 107cm acrylic on canvas
Nyankulya Walyampari Watson
Nyankulya was born at Mt Aloysius, at a rockhole not far from the tri state border, sometime around 1938. As a teenager she lived at Anumarapiti, now an outstation of Irrunytju.
She remembers shortly after this time white fellas came and told her family to go to Ernabella. It was good at the mission, there was lots of flour, tea and sugar. In the morning we would listen for the bell, then we would line up for food, go to church and then to work.
Nyankulya was a founding member of Irrunytju Arts. She now resides at Kalka and Nyapari communities in South Australia.
Examples of Artist's Work
Ngura Tjuta 2010 168 x 150cm acrylic on canvas
Ngura Tjuta 2010 143 x 85cm acrylic on canvas
Monica Puntjina Watson
Puntjina, also known as Monica, was born circa 1940 at Pukara: an important rockhole and watersnake Dreaming site. She walked to Ernabella as a young girl with her father and his three wives - the youngest of them was Wingu Tingima. She lived there and worked in the craft room. Marrying Wimitja Watson - a Ngankari (traditional healer) - they then moved to Amata where they had lots of children. The family moved to Pipalyatjara in the homeland movement of the late 1970's to be closer to their country. Mrs Watson is an important elder in Pipalyatjara where she continues to live with her husband and family.
Monica has become known for her use of a vibrant palette in her paintings, particularly an iconic, high-key yellow. She also has an unusual approach to composition. Monica is a committed artist, painting everyday at Ninuku Art Centre, and has cemented herself as one of the Centre's leading artists.
Examples of Artist's Work
WrkuWirku 122 x 107cm acrylic on linen
WrkuWirku 2010 88 x 101cm acrylic on linen
Molly Nampitjin Miller
Molly (Nampitjin) Miller was born in the bush in 1948, "a bush baby". She went to Warburton mission for her schooling and lived in a dormitory with all the other girls. Her family stayed in the camp at the mission. She married and her husband took her to Amata where she had her five children.
Mrs Miller is a strong and founding figure for Ninuku Arts and respected elder within Kalka Community. She comes from a strong artistic family, her brother and sisters are Dr Pantjiti Mary McClean, Jimmy Donegan (Telstra Award Winner 2010) and Elaine Lane from Blackstone.
Examples of Artist's Work
Mamu Tjukurpa 2010 153 x 183cm acrylic on linen
Mamu Tjukurpa 2011 147 x 120cm acrylic on linen
Milyika Paddy
Mrs Paddy is the Chairperson of Kalka Community, South Australia. She moved here with her husband when the community was set up in the early eighties. Prior to this she lived in a homeland called Walytatjara just over the border in the Northern Territory. Walytjatajara is a small community comprising of 3 houses and 1 schoolhouse. There was water but no power.
In the early eighties her family decided to move to Kalka in order to access better services. She is a strong leader within the community and an advocate for Kalka residents when speaking to government.
Mrs Paddy's country is in Western Australia. She is a cousin of Tjuruparu Watson and Wimitja Watson.
Examples of Artist's Work
Walpa 2011 122 x 107cm acrylic on linen
Walpa 2011 91 x 46cm acrylic on linen
Josephine Watjari Mick
Born in 1955 near Ernabella to Kuntjiriya Mick, Josephine grew up in Fregon, Ernabella and Amata. She moved to Pipalyatjara as a teenager in the homeland movement in the early 1970's. She then moved to Kalka with her children and now she travels between Pipalyatjara and Ernabella.
Examples of Artist's Work
Mamungari 2010 177 x 142cm acrylic on canvas
Mamungari 2009 130 x 94cm acrylic on canvas
Jimmy Donegan
Jimmy was born at Yanpan, a rockhole near Ngatuntjarra Bore circa 1940. He grew up as a bush baby in country around Blackstone and Mantamaru (Jamieson) in Western Australia.
Jimmy has family links throughout the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) lands and his wife was from a place near Kalka. Jimmy took his wife and children to live at Blackstone because of his tie to that country. He is now widowed and has returned to Kalka Community to live with his children, and close to his sister Molly Nampitjin Miller.
Jimmy is a wonderful wood craftsman - his spears, spear throwers and boomerangs are prized and much sort-after. He is rich in story and a strong man for law and culture.
In August 2010, Jimmy Donegan won the most prestigious art prize in Australia - The Telstra Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award. He was the winner of two sections - the General Painting Category and the Overall Prize.
"Like much of Donegan's work over the past decade, the award winning painting is solemn and emphatic in its design, but dazzlingly illuminated. The artists technique it to compose the colour lines of his canvases from thousands of large dots in different hues, which blend into a whole" Nicolas Rothwell, The Weekend Australian, August 2010.
Examples of Artist's Work
Pukara 2010 181 x 181cm acrylic on linen
Papa Tjukurpa 2010 120 x 107cm acrylic on linen
Jennifer Mintaya Connelly
Jennifer was born at Mulga Park. She has been working in media for 10 years in Pipalyatjara, Wingellina and Umuwa. She is a skilled camera person and editor. Jennifer has painted for Ninuku Arts and Kayili arts. She has seven children.
Her time spent in Patjarr in Western Australia has informed her fluid and organic painting style. She is a natural colourist and most commonly depicts the Seven Sisters Tjukurpa.
Examples of Artist's Work
Seven Sisters 2010 167 x 181cm acrylic on linen
Seven Sisters 2009 106 x 90cm acrylic on canvas
Harry Tjutjuna
Harry Tjutjuna was born circa 1930 at Walytjatjara, north east of Pipalyatjara, near the tri-state border of South Australia, Northern Territory and Western Australia. He is a Pitjantjatjara speaking Ngankari (traditional healer) and senior law man.
As a young man he moved to Ernabella Mission where he was educated and went on to work on the settlement. His jobs included working on bore sinking, fencing, gardening, and tending to the sheep. The mission's purpose (since its foundation in 1937) was primarily to provide the medical services and education for the local Anangu (Aboriginal people).
Later Harry moved back to the far north-west with his family, living mostly in and around Wingellina, WA, and Pipalyatjara on the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands, SA.
Harry first started painting in 2005 at Ernabella Arts Centre before moving to Pipalyatjara in 2008 where he now paints at Ninuku Arts. Harry has a few favourite dreamtime stories including Wati Wanka: Spider man; Wati Nyiru, the man who chases the seven sisters; Wati Malu and the Kungka Mingakri’s, the kangaroo man and the female mice. He also paints Kungka Tjuta, young girls doing milpatjunanyi, the traditional way of telling stories in the sand.
His whimsical themes, combined with a masterful use of brush, has quickly positioned Harry as one of the most highly sought-after artists at Ninuku Arts.
'Old generation are here now and i am old generation too. Lot’s of old generation have passed away. What are you going to do? What happens when I pass away?...... New generation got to learn Tjukurpa.’ (Harry Tjutjuna)
Examples of Artist's Work
Wati Wanka 2010 150 x 180cm acrylic on linen
Mutata 2010 168 x 152cm acrylic on canvas
Melissa Donegan
Melissa Donegan was born at Warburton Ranges in 1969 and is the oldest daughter of renowned painter Jimmy Donegan. She went to school at Amata and moved back to Pipalyatjara and Kalka in the homeland movement of the late 1970's. As she was growing up she moved between Wingellina, Pipalyatjara and Amata. She started painting in Blackstone and it was there where she worked with her sister and mother on the Tjanpi Toyota that won the Telstra Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award in 2005. She lives in Kalka with her family and is an arts worker at the art centre.
Melissa paints designs associated with the Wati Kutjara and Seven Sisters stories.
Examples of Artist's Work
Minyma Tjukurpa 2011 109 x 87cm acrylic on linen
Seven Sisters Story 2011 91 x 61cm acrylic on linen
Janice Miller
Janice Miller was born in Alice Springs in 1979 and is Ninuku Arts founding director Molly Miller's fourth child. She grew up in Pipalyatjara and worked for Bangala in the CDEP program. She has twins and one young boy and now lives in Kalka with her family. She regularly comes to the art centre to paint alongside her sister Judy Nyalpinkga Miller and mother Molly Nampitjin.
Janice paints designs and iconography associated with Wati Ngintaka, Seven Sisters, Minyma Tjukurpa and Bush Tucker stories.
Examples of Artist's Work
Wati Ngintaka Tjukurpa 2011 77 x 86cm acrylic on linen
Seven Sisters 2011 60 x 45cm acrylic on linen
Margaret Donegan
Margaret Donegan is the daughter of renowned artist Jimmy Donegan (Telstra Award winner in 2010) and was born in Alice Springs in 1971. As a little girl she was unwell and lived in Adelaide at the Children's Hospital before moving to Amata where her father worked as a stockman. The family then moved Pipalyatjara in the 1970's where she attended a small school called the Spinifex School. As an adult she lived in Blackstone in Western Australia and started her career there as a painter and arts worker. It was in Blackstone where she worked alongside her mother on the Tjanpi Toyota which won the Telstra Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Art Award in 2005. She now lives with her family in Kalka Community where she continues her arts practice in painting, wood carving and basket making and is a key arts worker at the arts centre.
Margaret paints designs associated with the Minyma Kutjara, Wati Ngintaka and Seven Sisters stories.
Examples of Artist's Work
Bush Tucker 2010 61 x 61cm acrylic on linen
Wati Ngintaka 2011 86 x 76cm acrylic on linen
Rita Watson
Rita Watson was born in Warburton Ranges, Western Australia. She moved between Amata and Wingellina as she was growing up and is the daughter of Tjuruparu Watson - a renowned Irrunytju Arts painter from Wingellina. She now lives in Kalka with her husband and regularly paints designs associated with her father's country Illurpa.
Examples of Artist's Work
Pulya 2010 52 x 52cm acrylic on linen
Pulya 2010 63 x 58cm acrylic on linen
Judy Nyalpingka Miller
Judy was born in Amata to Ninuku Arts founding director Molly Nampitjin Miller in 1964. The family moved to Pipalyatjara in the homelands movement of the late 1970's. Judy was a teacher in Pipalyatjara and then moved to Kalka where they now live. She is a key member of the arts centre and works alongside the manager as a retail assistant and arts worker. Judy is a dedicated painter, punu maker and tjanpi weaver.
She paints designs associated with Seven Sisters, Wati Tjukurpa, Minyma Tjukurpa, and Bush Tucker stories.
Examples of Artist's Work
Minyma Tjukurpa 2011 94 x 86cm acrylic on linen
Minyma Tjukurpa 2011 121 x 60cm acrylic on linen