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Joyrene Ngwarraye Holmes – Wildflowers

When I go hunting for aker arlkerl (echidna) around the sandhills of Ampilatwatja I always spot the wild flowers and honey flowers.  We tap the Bankias against our hand and get the honey, it is sweet to taste.

 After the rain and bushfires all the new flowers pop up around me. My favourite time of the year is winter when it is cooler to walk and hunt. 

The community of Ampilatwatja made a conscious decision not to paint altyerr (dreaming stories). The artists paint their country where those stories sit.

 

By CompNet Systems, ago

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Maisie Petyarre Bundey – Anhelengkw (Emu) Dreaming

Anhelengkw (emu) dreaming is the breast body painting depicting the story of the mother emu who runs away and leaves the father emu to look after the eggs until they hatch, he then raises the chicks.

This story is passed down through Maisie’s family and celebrated in dance.

By CompNet Systems, ago

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Wandjina & Dumbi (cloud and rain spirits & barn owls)

The Wandjina is the creator spirit that belongs to us: the Wororra, Ngarinyin and Wunumbul people. He is the one that created everything; our culture, law and songs and even the dreaming of each child before they are born. 

Dumbi is an owl which resides in Ngarinyin country. A boy and a girl teased Dumbi and plucked out his feathers. Dumbi flew to the Wandjina Wodjin who said he would create a large flood to punish the tribe from where the boy and girl came. At a place called Wanalirri, the Wandjina gathered a large flock of brolgas which stomped on a huge black soil plain to create quicksand. The flood came and drowned many people; those who tried to escape were lost in the quicksand. The boy and girl were safe because they were on high ground, they were taken there by a kangaroo, and they traveled on the kangaroo’s tail. A Tata lizard called Ganada warned the Wandjina that the boy and the girl had escaped. The rains and lightning started to chase the boy and girl and they ran to a hollowed out boab tree. Once they were in the tree, the Wandjina closed it up and they were lost for ever. In another version of the story the boy and girl survive the flood and mate to produce a new tribe.

By CompNet Systems, ago

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Edie Kemarre Holmes – Antarrengeny

Edie depicts Antarrengeny when there has been no rain and the land shimmers like jewels. It is the open flat country, after a bushfire, when only the young grasses and the trees are growing and where there is good hunting.”

Antarrengeny is Edie’s country and also her Father’s.

Edie has a strong connection to Antarrengeny. She gave birth to two of her daughters out bush on this land. It is her country and she loves it dearly.

By CompNet Systems, ago

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The Looming School of Fish

Gliding through the vast Coral with great formation, this particular school of fish swims effortlessly travers through its environment with haste as its still prey to a much larger fish. To survive the school learns to stick together or else its to late. 

 

Art Centre Notes: 

This artworks is  Mix Medium Painting on Canvas using mix medium of posca pens, acrylic paint, black pastels and medium gloss. 

By CompNet Systems, ago

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Hunting HammerHead

Hammer head shark often hunts alone during the day for its next meal. I created the shark to blend in with the coral reef beneath, to indicate its stealthy prowess. I ultimately decided to create 2 paintings to emphasise the shark being ‘alone’ as there isn’t any other wild life activity.   

 

Art Center Notes:

This artwork is a Mix medium Painting on Canvas using Medium Gloss, Posca Pens, acrylic paint and black pastels.

Image Size: 60 x 60cm

By CompNet Systems, ago

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Jeffrey’s Birds

Jeffrey paints his favourite birds that live in the country around Ernabella. These include the kuparu (magpie), partilpa (Port Lincoln ringed neck parrot), kayarkiyarpa (galah), tjintir-tjintirpa (willy wag-tail), piil-piilpa (yellow throated minor) and kuurkuurpa (owls).



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By CompNet Systems, ago

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Margaret’s Father’s Country

My father’s place is Mt. Liebe, sandhill country.  The Wanapi rests there under the surface of the creek.  When we go to visit that country, the Wanapi stirs underneath the ground and bubbles rise up in the water.  He is there to protect that place.  We speak to that Wanapi in our language and he knows then that it is us. It’s okay for us to be there and the bubbles settle back down.  Close to this creek is where the Arkaryi women are sitting.  This is an important women’s site.  I can’t speak too much about that, as it would be dangerous to disturb those women.

By CompNet Systems, ago

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Woven Mat

Traditionally, Nganiyal (conical mats) were used as an insect screen when erected, and as a sitting mat when folded. They are used in Ceremony as well as a functional item. 

Nowadays, artists weave many different shapes including flat, round and oblong. 

By CompNet Systems, ago

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Kungkarangkalpa / Seven Sisters

Kungkarangkalpa means the Seven Sisters. This is an extensive creation story that relates to the Pleiades constellation in the southern hemisphere. The story traverses Australia taking on different forms, however local women are privy to the part of the story which takes place in the country near Ernabella. For this part of the story, the man called Nyiru is chasing the sisters as he wants to sleep with the oldest sister. All the younger sisters are deeply afraid of him. As Nyiru is chasing the sisters, he tries to catch them by using magic to turn himself into the most tempting bush tomatoes for the sisters to eat and the most beautiful ili (fig) tree for the sisters to camp under. However, the sisters are aware of his magic and go hungry and run through the night rather than be caught by Nyiru. Eventually, to escape Nyiru, the sisters fly into the sky where they turn into stars and form the constellation.

By CompNet Systems, ago