The purpose of this activity is to help raise money to assist 10 young Aboriginal men to come to Canberra and spend a week with us at CGS to see what life is like down south.
For more information or if you are interested in purchasing any of the artwork please contact:
Trevor Dunbar
T 02 6260 9700
E
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NORMAN WILFRED
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PROFILE |
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Skin Name: Wamut
Clan: Wagilag
Language: Rittarranghu
Place: Nilibidgi
Norman grew up at Ngukurr. He has been painting for a quite a few
years and draws on the experience of watching his father paint the
stories and dreamings of his country. As a young adult he spent time
training with Norforce, and then returned to Ngukurr where he was
employed on the building team for a while. Norman is married to artist
Michelle Huddleston. Norman paints in the traditional way and has a
storyteller approach to his paintings.
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TITLE: BUSH HUNTING
Story of this Painting: Water lilies we make damper out of seed by
crushing and mixing flat and cook in hot ashes in big leaves. Grow in
billabong, we dig them out of the mud to eat. We get in one place, lift
lilies leaf and there underneath down the bottom is bulb. Good to eat,
still eat today.
Story as told by Norman Wilfred.
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas approx 123x147cm
Price: $3080.00
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| LURICK FORDHAM |
PROFILE |
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Skin Name:Wamut
Clan: Mirraitja
Language: Remdarrnga
Place: Boltjum
Moiety: Duwa
Born at Boltjum and taught by his father, well known artist
Paddy
Fordham, Lurick is a young up and coming artist.
Well known for his
Mimi stories that he loves to tell in his
paintings with a confidence
of his own.
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TITLE: KILLER SPIRIT
Story of this Painting: This Mimi has a little killer spirit that
goes
into people and slowly eats there insides and kills them.
This is for
people that have done wrong and must die.
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas approx 53x138cm
Price: $462.00
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| ALAN JOSHUA JNR |
PROFILE |
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Skin Name: Bulandj
Clan: Marawalwal
Language: Wandarrang & Mara
Place: Mangajarra
Alan Joshua Jnr lives with his wife and two children at
Ngukurr. He
was born in 1965. He has painted since 1996
and currently sells his
paintings through Ngukurr Arts. He has
learnt to paint by watching and
learning from senior men.
In the past he has preferred to paint an
traditional colours and styles but over time has developed his own
unique approach to his art. Alan's paintings often feature bold, vibrant colours with a contemporary feel, yet he has retained his sense
of tradition to create a distinctive mix of the new and old. His
paintings reflect his love and understanding of country and Aboriginal
way. Through his paintings we learn about bush tucker, the animals and
their habitats around us and how they link with his culture. Since
early 2005 he has been experimenting with different tools such as wool
and grass as well as colours to create a different texture and effect
in his landscapes. Alan's paintings are becoming increasingly popular, by not only private collectors, but public institutions as well. So far his art features in
the Flinders University SA collection and Alan hopes his work will
continue to become part of many more collections in the future.
In 2007 Alan began using his art as an expression of his feelings about
current social issues faced by people living in his community. He
hopes to raise social awareness with his stories and record current Aboriginal history through his art, so that future generations will learn about Aboriginal life as it is lived today.
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TITLE: YELLOW WATER
Story of this Painting: The kangaroo is my grandfather’s and
grandmother’s dreaming and came from the west and created yellow
water. He, the kangaroo, traveled and rested here at Ngukurr. Where
the police station is we called that Ngukurr Hill. This place used to
be called Roper River but because of this hill we called it Ngukurr.
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas approx 65 x 120 cm
Price: $924.00
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| MICHELLE HUDDLESTON |
PROFILE |
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Skin Name: Gojan
Clan: Wurlngarri
Language: Ngandi
Place: Warrpani
Michelle was born at Ngukurr. She attended the Ngukurr school, then
went on to finish her schooling in Queensland. She is a young mother
and is married to artist Norman Wilfred. Michelle is one of Ngukurr's young emerging artists. Her flair for
colour and a talent for depicting her country is a developing style and
one she enjoys painting. Michelle's paintings are wonderful stories
about camp life and day to day happenings. She is a bright
enthusiastic artist and will go on to being one of Ngukurr's recognised
artists.
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TITLE: BILLABONG NEAR MY COUNTRY
Story of this Painting: This place is not far from my out station. We
used to go fishing here and catch many fish and turtle. Some women
always go along the grass looking for turtle eggs and some of them go
and dig the ground for wild potato.
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas approx 120 x 40 cm
Price: $462.00
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| LENNIE HARRISON |
PROFILE
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Skin Name: Nyaritj
Clan: Nunggubuyu
Language: Warndarrang / Kriol
Place: Yugual Mangi
Lennie was born on 30 May 1971 in Ngukurr. He started painting at
the age of 35 and draws on his knowledge from life's experiences. He
has a strong natural style and represents the next generation of
younger Aboriginal artists. His art reflects a mixture of traditional
styles with hints of more modern day influences.
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TITLE: HUNTING TOOLS
Story of this Painting: These are some of the things we use to make things and use them for hunting.
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas approx 120 x 40 cm
Price: $308.00
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| JUDY BUBAWANGA DOCTOR/WILFRED |
PROFILE
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Skin Name: Wamutjan
Clan: Wambukungu
Language: Rembarrnga
Place: Butjubai
Judy is an enthusiastic artist who is developing her style. She lives
at Ngukurr with her extended family and artist husband Rex Wilfred. Judy enjoys the creative side of filling her canvas with stories about
her traditional life.
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TITLE: LONGNECK TURTLES
Story of this Painting: This is the mother and her babies, the mother
has gone out in the billabong to be in the water and the baby male and
female are sitting in the muddy area around the billabong, they have
left there trail were they have been. Story as told by Judy Doctor
Wilfred.
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas approx 65x120cm
Price: $770.00
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TITLE: THREE DILLY BAGS
Story of this Painting: We make these dilly bags from pandanas and use them for carrying things like food and berries. Story as told by Judy Doctor Wilfred.
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas approx 120 x 40 cm
Price: $308.00 |
| REX WILFRED |
PROFILE
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Skin Name: Bulandj
Place: Mardarrpa
Language: Ritharrngu
Place: Burrawarnji
Rex learnt to paint by watching his father paint stories on bark using
ochre. Rex was born at Roper Mission (now Ngukurr) and went to mission
school. His wife Judy Doctor Wilfred is also an artist and sometimes
assists Rex with his paintings. Rex paints the traditional stories he
heard as he was growing up. His technique of using grass to apply the
fine cross-hatching lines is a traditional way of painting. In recent
years Rex has proved to be popular with buys and art collectors. From an exhibition in March 2000 of works by a group of Ngukurr
Artists, one of Rex's paintings was purchased by the National Gallery
of Victoria.
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TITLE: DUGI SPRING
Story of this Painting: White and black circles are design for the
spring water hole. Down below is the fire beaming with the fish called
Walcuta. Story as told by Rex Wilfred.
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas approx 40x120cm
Price: $616.00
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| MAUREEN THOMPSON (Murrarngulu) |
PROFILE |
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Skin Name: Gamanyjan
Clan: Walingandu
Language: Mara
Place: Wunubarri (Mt Young)
D.O.B: 1931
Maureen was born in 1931 on Nutwood Downs Station which was then owned
by Vesty. Her father was working in the stock camp there and her mother
was cooking for the stockmen. Maureen says she ran around the
station, 'as a naked Picaninny'. The family had to leave the station
because her father died. They spent time in the bush and walked to St
Vidgeon’s and then to Limmen Bight Country, sometimes traveling by
canoe down the Roper River. They came to the Mission at Ngukurr after the big flood of 1940. They
traveled by canoe. Maureen went to school at the Mission at night after
working in the vegetable gardens during the days and also sewing
clothes for the other children. Maureen learnt English at the school as
well as other subjects and she used to live in the dormitory. She still
speaks Marra despite the missionaries trying to stop the children
spending time with their parents and speaking their own languages. Her
mother was a cook at the school.
Maureen was married at the Ngukurr church but her first husband died
while she was still a young girl. As a widow she moved away from the
community and lived by the river and went hunting. Maureen remembers
troops training down by the river during World War 2. After a while
she got married again and moved to Darwin because her husband was a
tracker who worked for the police there. She worked as a cleaner and
did ironing for the sergeant. Altogether she had 12 children. Five of
them were born in Darwin. That policeman sent the family first to Maranboy and then to Pine Creek
before they returned to Darwin where Faith, Maureen’s last daughter was
born in 1971. Back in Darwin Maureen did 9 years of Bible training as
well as raising her children. Maureen moved back to Ngukurr in the late
80’s and started painting after watching Willie Gudabi and his wife
Moima paint. Maureen is now a senior member of Ngukurr Arts with many
stories to tell and paint in her own distinctive style of painting.
Group Exhibitions:
Big Stories on Canvas
Methodist Ladies College, Melbourne (Mar 2000)
Three Women Ngukurr
War Raft Artspace, Darwin (Aug 2001)
Culture Country & Stories
Canberra Grammar School (Sept 2001)
Ngukurr Now
Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne (Feb 2002)
All About Ngukurr
Canberra Grammar School (May 2002)
Stone Country to Salt Water
Jeffery Malesa Gallery, Sorrento VIC (2005)
Ngukurr 05
Jeffery Malesa Gallery, Sorrento VIC (2005)
Yugul Mangi,We All One
Raft Artspace, Parap (NT 2005)
Australia Dreaming Art Gallery, Fitzroy VIC (May 2006)
Helen Maxwell Gallery, Canberra ACT (2006)
The Mutju Way Exhibition
Australia Dreaming Art Gallery, Fitzroy VIC (Feb 2007)
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WHEN I WAS YOUNG
Story of this Painting: When I was young I remember my grandmother
telling me story about my area. She was telling me story about
lightening striking and those people were running everywhere and four
men had a meeting about what will be happening. On the top right an old
man sitting by himself and there’s a snake beside it. There are four
sisters and people camping everywhere. Below right there’s six sprite
watching over the land because when they put the dead people in the
cave they watch over us. There’s a lady leaving by herself with no man
to take care of her, she go hunting by herself. There are four men
asleep by themselves because they was traveling from other part of the
land. Right down the bottom of the painting is a big billabong and
people from everywhere come to swim and fish or sometimes camp. People
meet up there for meeting family and maybe sat down and told to each
other about ceremony. The lady gather up some bush food and fish, and
pick some grass to make grass skirt and something for the boy. hey
wear these for ceremony. There some bush black bala and those people
they can eat someone like you and me.
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas approx 120 x 120cm
Price: $2800.00 |
DONALD BLITNER
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PROFILE
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Skin name: Gala
Clan: Mara
Place: Roper River
Language: Mara
Donald was born in 1934 at Roper River, he grew up at the old mission
and then moved up river when the mission was relocated and renamed
Ngukurr. Donald started carving around 1985 and has proved to be very
popular among collectors, carving the animals and stories around him. |
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TITLE: MINI CARVING
Height: 140cm
Set on a base support 30 x 20cm
Price: $770.00 |
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TITLE: CROCODILE CARVING
Length: 60cm
Price: $224.00 |
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TITLE: CRADLE CARVING
Traditionally used to carry food or tools.
Dimensions: 75 x 16 x 17 cm
Price: $224.00 |
SHELL NECKLACES
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These hand made shell necklaces were made by the local women of
Numbulwar, an Aboriginal community north-west of Ngukurr. As the
community is located on the coast line the women make use of their
surrounding environment by collecting the tiny shells found on the
beaches at low tide. It literally takes hundreds of shells to make each
necklace.
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1. This necklace features mainly white and cream coloured shells
intermittently separated by a cluster of brown seeds.
Approximately 105cm in circumference.
Price: $49.00 |
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2. This necklace comprises shells in
creams and light browns with
red
seeds placed intermittently to give a
more festive look. Approximately 92cm in circumference.
Price: $49.00 |
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3. A beautiful necklace made up of creams,
browns, and the
occasional grey shell.
|Throughout the necklace are evenly spaced
clusters of three brown seeds for added detail
and appeal. Approximately 74cm in circumference.
Price: $56.00
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| DIDGERIDOOS |
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Artist: Graham Wilfred
Skin Name: Wamut
Clan: Rittarranghu
Place: Nilibidgi
Graham Wilfred comes from a family made up of many artists including
his brother and prominent painter Norman Wilfred. Graham is known for
his didgeridoos which he creates from hollowed-out trees he collects
from out bush, sands them down, and paints them using traditional
colours and styles.
Length: 129cm
Colours: Black background, red ochre, yellow ochre, white
Depiction: Four large barramundi using cross hatching for detail.
Price: $308.00
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Artist: Donald Blitner
Skin Name: Gala
Clan: Mara
Place: Roper River
Language: Mara
Donald was born in 1934 at Roper River, he grew up at the old mission
and then moved up river when the mission was relocated and renamed
Ngukurr. Donald started carving around 1985 and has proved to be very
popular among collectors, carving the animals and stories around him.
Length: 125cm
Colours: Vivid red, yellow, black and white.
Price: $308.00
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Artist: Denis Duncan
Denis Duncan lives in a small Aboriginal community not far from Ngukurr
called Urapunga. Unfortunately there is no other information about
this artist on record at the moment.
Length: 121cm
Colours: Red ochre, white, black, orange, yellow ochre.
Depiction: Dilly bags
Price: $308.00 |
| HAND WOVEN ITEMS |
Hand crafted by the Indigenous women of Numbulwar, a small coastal
community north-west of Ngukurr. The pandanas is specially selected,
stripped into long lengths, and boiled in large tins over a fire to
make it pliable for weaving. To create the different colours in the
mats and baskets the pandanas strips are boiled again in a mixture of
water and natural dyes that are extracted from the roots of trees.
Once the pandanas has been prepared the women can commence weaving. The whole process from start to finish can take 4 days to a week of
work. |
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1. Floor mat: Approximately 140 cm in diameter.
Price: $812.00 |
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2. Basket: Useful to hold fruit or simply as a decorative piece.
Approximate dimensions 35 x 30 x 11cm
Price: $133.00 |
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Ngukurr Art For Sale
