Walka means design or pattern. Artists use this title to describe artworks that are pattern based rather than descriptive or telling a story.
Name: Ngunytjima Carroll
Language: Pitjantjatjara
Community: Pukatja
Biography:
Ernabella Arts. Ngunytjima has worked at the art centre since the ceramic studio was established in 2003. He began as a maker, building forms for the women to work on. In 2009 he did a residency with other Ernabella artists at ANU in Canberra and also travelled to Munupi Arts to work with Robert Puruntatameri.
Since the first wati (men) only ceramics workshop at Ernabella in 2011, Ngunytjima has been applying walka (design) and tjukurpa (sacred stories of law, country and culture) to his own forms. His work alternates between landscape depictions of the bush and local animals, and what is considered more traditional markings on his thrown forms. 'During the week I make pottery and at nights and on the weekend I go hunting. I learnt from my grandfather, hunting, when I was a young fella, before I was a wati. Then when I was a wati, I learnt pottery from Geoff Crispin’.
In 2012 Ngunytjima began to learn wheel throwing with Greg Daly at ANU in Canberra. Ngunytjima quickly progressed to making large forms on the wheel and has been working tjungu (together) with Derek Thompson in the ceramics studio. Since 2013 Ngunytjima has concentrated on throwing tall vessels for himself, Derek and the senior men to work on.
In early 2018 Ngunytjima was forced to have a break from the art centre due to health reasons. He returned to the studio in 2025 and has been hand building and wheel throwing his own forms.
Ngayuku Walka / My Design Walka means design or pattern. Artists use this title to describe artworks that are pattern based rather than descriptive or telling a story.
Ngayuku Walka / My Design Walka means design or pattern. Artists use this title to describe artworks that are pattern based rather than descriptive or telling a story.
Ngayuku Walka / My Design Walka means design or pattern. Artists use this title to describe artworks that are pattern based rather than descriptive or telling a story.