This Naman waterhole up in the hills.The water flow’s from this rock and turns to a creek called (Yabuloo) billabong the river run’s from there down to Cherrabun Creek that my country l use to walk this country many years ago.
Name: Dorothy Milinti May
Language: Walmajarri
Community: Mindi Rardi
Biography:
I was born at old Cherrabun Station along the Fitzroy River. At an early age my mother and father took me on a wagon all around Yakanarra. This is my country. When I grew up big I went to work at the old Cherrabun station for kartiya [Europeans], washing and cleaning. Sometimes I would go bush to get away. This is where I learnt to make damper and tea. This was when I was single girl. After this time I met my husband Ngarralja Tommy May. We were friends first and now we have six children. I work at Karrayili Adult Education Centre learning to read and write. I have been painting for a long time.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
2009 | Sharing Difference on Common Ground | Holmes a Court Gallery, Perth and Kimberley Aboriginal Artists |
2009 | Senior Artists from Fitzroy Crossing | Suzanne O’Connell Gallery, Brisbane, QLD |
2009 | Luka [Mud] | Brigitte Braun Gallery, Melbourne, VIC |
2009 | Mangkaja Survey Show | Short St Gallery, Broome, WA |
2008 | Mangkaja Arts | A P Bond Art Dealer, Adelaide, SA |
| 25th Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award | Museum and Art Gallery, NT |
| Waterholes and Bush Tucker | Bridget McDonald Hampton Gallery, Sydney, NSW |
| Mangkaja Artists WA | Randell Lane Fine Arts, Perth, WA |
| Women on Country | Suzanne O’Connell Gallery, Brisbane, QLD |
2007 | Tommy and Dorothy May | Brigitte Braun Gallery, Melbourne, VIC |
2006 | Group Show | Broome Six Gallery, Broome, WA |
2005 | True Colours - Recent works from Fitzroy Crossing | Queensland College of Art Gallery, Grif?th University, QLD |
2005 | Group Show | Australian Indigenous Art Gallery |
2004 | Ngurrara Canvas | Perth Concert Hall, Perth International Arts Festival, WA |
2004 | Seven Mangkaja Artists | Gad?y Gallery, WA |
2004/ 2005 | Colour Power: Aboriginal Art Post 1984 | National Gallery of Victoria |
2003 | Mangkaja Women | Raft Artspace, Darwin, NT |
2002 | Group Show | Short St Gallery, Broome, WA |
2002 | Group Show | Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne, VIC |
2001 | Ngurrara Canvas | National Gallery of Australia |
2001 | Mangkaja Arts Ten Years On Mangkaja’s 10 year Anniversary Show | Tandanya, Adelaide, SA |
2000 | Heritage Commission Art Award | Old Parliament House, Canberra, ACT |
1999 | Ngurrara | Japingka Gallery, Fremantle, WA |
1996 | Heritage Commission Art Award | Old Parliament House, Canberra, ACT |
1996 | Broken Promises | Tandanya, Adelaide, SA |
1995 | Telstra 12th National Aboriginal Art Award | Museum and Art Gallery of the NT |
PUBLIC ART:
2008 | Fitzroy Valley Education Centre – panels project |
2008 | Fitzroy Crossing Hospital - paintings on canvas |
COLLECTIONS:
Fitzroy Crossing High School
AWARDS:
1995 | National Aboriginal Art Award. Winner Telstra Prize, Best work on paper |
PUBLICATIONS:
2009 | Kimberley Aboriginal Artists Sharing Difference on Common Ground |
2004 | National Gallery of Victoria Colour Power: Aboriginal art post 1984 |
2001 | National Aboriginal Cultural Institute - Tandanya Painting Up Big, The Ngurrara Canvas, Kaltja Now |
2000 | Oxford University Press & ANU Oxford Companion to Aboriginal Art |
2000 | IATSIS Canberra Karrayili: The history of Karrayili Adult Education Centre |
2000 | Exhibition Catalogue The Art of Place: The Fifth National Indigenous Heritage Art Award |
1998 | Video Documentary / SBS Television Jila Painted Waters of the Great Sandy Desert |
1995 | Exhibition Catalogue 12th Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award |
Jilji- Pinti Lake “This is about Jilji (sandhills) on both sides and Pinti Lake in the middle. The grass and trees grows around the Pinti Lake”.
Kurtal Country “This place in the desert. It’s all my country. My father took me all around there when I was a young boy.”
