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Mimi Spirit

“Mimi go through rock country. Hide in cracks. May be cheeky. Mimi look after and renew country.”

This stunning Mimi Spirit has been hand crafted from native beach hibiscus sourced in Darwin. Carved using a mix of sharp hand tools it has then been finished in modern acrylic paints.

Painting has been completed using a handmade Jarlk grass reed brush harvested from local billabongs and wet areas. Raark or fine line work has been completed using this brush and is in Yirritja style. This style consists of multiple lines before alternating colour.

Name: Sylvia Campion


Language: Kriol, Kune, Rembarrnga


Community: Maningrida


Biography:

Sylvia is a talented artist who paints, carves and weaves using a mix of traditional techniques, materials and tools, along with their modern counterparts. Sylvia grew up surrounded by talented artefact makers and absorbed knowledge through a traditional style of apprenticeship. 

Helping her father she learned how to harvest and make a traditional grass reed brush called "munjyelk" or jarlk, and then mastered its use painting ochres and modern acrylics. Her father also taught her the art of wood carving.

Her mother and grandmother taught her the art of weaving and hand making bush string. This was also learned by helping and absorbing bush knowledge such as harvesting, stripping, dying, weaving and rolling. 

"At 20yrs old I started to paint, carve and weave on my own." Now, Sylvia combines all these techniques creating intricate woven sculptures with carved details finely finished using traditional painting techniques.


© the artist / art centre