These shells represent food. The patterned on this image comes from cone bay
Name: Cecilia Wadjlula Umbagai
Language: Worrora
Community: Mowanjum
Biography:
Cecilia (Wadjlula) Umbagai was born in Derby in the West Kimberley of Western Australia. She grew up most of her life in the community of Mowanjum and is the second oldest of her brothers and sisters. Cecilia has been painting for as long as she can remember and has been working at the Mowanjum Art and Culture Centre since 2014.
She is a talent in many medias, e.g. photography, print making and painting.
Cecilia is a Worrorra woman and her animal dreaming (Ungud) is called the Red Land Kangaroo (Karroninya Nyina).
In 2015, Cecilia won the Kimberley Photographic Award Shire of Derby / West Kimberley in the youth category for her image titled 'Hunting Food'.
Since 2015 Cecilia has been involved in the Puliima Language course coordinated by Melbourne University; Charles Darwin University; University of Western Australia, and the Batchelor Institute.
In 2019 and 2018, Cecilia was selected in the 25Under25 Art Award by the City of Fremantle with her work being displayed at the Moores Building Contemporary Art Gallery in Fremantle.
She is the recipient of the 2020 Telstra NATSIAA Emerging Artist Award. The Judges commented on her work: 'With its bold colour and dynamic mark-making this painting embodies confidence beyond the artist's years in its portrayal of the power and the importance of the Wandjina. Cecilia shows great respect and inspiring potential as she follows in the footsteps of her elders to continue the long tradition of bark painting using natural pigments in the Kimberley. This painting demonstrates the unique style, ability and sensibility of this exciting emerging artist, bringing new life to ancient stories.'
Professional Development:
2024 Fashion and Design workshops with Milpali, Sydney, NSW.
2020-2019 Certificate 3 Visual Arts North Regional TAFE Derby WA, completed 1 & 2.
2020-2015 Pulima Language program coordinated by Melbourne University; Charles Darwin University; University of Western Australia, and the Batchelor Institute.
2019-2018-2016 Woodblock printmaking/Photographic printmaking/Screen-printing workshops with master printer Sean Richard Smith from Brunswick Street Gallery Vic.
2019-2017 EXPOSURE: New Voices in Western Australian Photography workshops with Glen Iseger-Pilkington and Sarah Landro.
2018 Fabric printing workshop with Maxine Charles from Nagula Jarndu Women’s Arts and Resource Centre Broome WA.
2018 Barangaroo NAIDOC Puppet show with master puppeteer and performance maker Karen Hethey Sydney NSW.
2017-2016-2014 Photography workshop with Sarah Landro and Jacqueline Warrick from Camera Story Perth WA.
2016 Watercolour workshop with Desert River Sea Art Gallery WA Perth.
2015 Printmaking workshop with master printer Basil Hall from Basil Hall Editions Braidwood NSW.
2014 Photographic and art documentation workshop with Tim Acker from Tracker Deveopment Kambah ACT.
Karram Muddu (whirlpool story) This is my Ungud (totem). I was named for this whirlpool: Karram Muddu, located near Augustus Island. My father, Sam Woolagoodja, named me. The Warndum Story goes that there’s a woman Read more…
Waanungga (sugar bag) Gudu Mungulu often paints Waanugga, which is a word that describes various forms of bush honey. The hives in which honey is stored are called ‘Sugarbag’, and can be found in trees Read more…
