We are offering exclusive works online. Click on our Gallery link below
http://www.papulankutja.com.au/Gallery/tabid/108/language/en-US/Default.aspx
Works listed on this online gallery are floor stock in our Art Centre – with exclusive wholesale prices.
Please forward any questions/requests for larger images to this email address.
artists.papulankutja@bigpond.com
Mar 15, 2011
Feb 1, 2011
Papulankutja Artists Opens for 2011
A desert storm and a shower of rain seem to mark the end of the festive season and the beginning of the new year here in Blackstone Community. With February upon us and Papulankutja Artists studio doors open once more we prepare for the new year with a summer clean, scrubbing floors and fridges and replenishing paint stocks and supplies. Slowly we begin to see the return of artists to the studio and the familiar practice of art making building momentum. The heat of January has been tough on everyone. It’s a slow time of the year up here, which gives us all time to ponder last year’s achievements and milestones.
2010 was a very busy year indeed with Papulankutja Artists staging eight shows around the country and pushing a steady stream of sales through stockrooms and direct from the studio door ensuring a top year financially for the art centre. However it was also a hard year with much sadness at the passing of Papulankutja’s top artist Cliff Reid and his wife Ruby. Unfortunately it didn’t stop there. The sadness for artists and families continued with a high level of sorry business occurring across the lands. This meant it was an unpredictable year full of contrasts in terms of production and activity. There were times of intense activity followed by an art centre in ghost town mode.
Still the show must go on and a successful festival in May gave everyone especially the younger artists and community members a chance to come together and enjoy happy times. The hair salon put on by Star and Wilurarra Creative from Warburton was the highlight along with glass artists from Melting Pot in Margaret River coming out for the week for the 6 th consecutive year in a row!!! As a result there are some young indigenous community members slowly becoming quite skilled at glass bead making.
In mid August the new Artists Shed (an outdoor studio space for artists) was built by our philanthropists friends The Millsteeds. Working extremely efficiently and for long hours the family including babies and toddlers pulled together to create this new space in a very short period of time. Artists have been enjoying painting outdoors under shelter from the sun and wind. This new space also joins the main art centre studio to the men’s painting space in a separate donga. The space also encompasses a fire pit and some concrete seats, a nice place to sit in the cooler months and roast some roo tails. Many thanks to the Millsteeds for their generosity, spirit and pure hard physical yakka to make this happen. Their gift to the artists at Blackstone is greatly appreciated. We hope they will be able to come and visit again sometime but this time to relax and enjoy the bush experience and the new art centre environment.
Last years successful application to Lottery West has seen the art centre with a new Toyota Troupe Carrier. Artists and staff were able to travel to Desert mob in September while also enjoying regular bush trips for artists on Wednesday afternoons. Many thanks to Lottery West for this vehicle. It has made a huge difference to the cultural lives of the artists not to mention the smooth and efficient running of the art centre!!! The drive home from Desert Mob took 17 hours with much of the journey travelling at 30 km/ph through water and mud. A midnight bogging just out of Wingelina put the vehicle to the test with some serious four wheel drive action required to get us out and going again.
The year really ran away from us after September like “wild horses over the hills” There were some visits by various consultants courtesy of Desart and art centre business in general and before we knew it an AGM was held and the new committee and chairs elected. We welcomed co-chairs Jennifer Mitchell and Craig Morrison to the position. Sadly both arts workers in Blackstone suffered losses before the year was out with Sherona Jackson losing both parents and Mildred Lyons losing her father. The sadness at theses losses really marked the end of the year and were telling tales of the year in general. With more sorry business to attend to and the Xmas period upon us the business wound down operations for the year giving everyone a well deserved break. Papulankutja Artists would like to thank everyone for all their support in 2010. We hope you all had a relaxing and happy festive period. This year we hope for a happy, healthy and productive 2011 for all our artists, artworkers and families.
Here is a sneak preview of new and exciting works by Angilyiya Mitchell. Angilyiya Mitchel is the daughter of well-known artist Anmanari Brown. In her mid fifties Angilyiya is a respected elder and law women in the community. She is creating some quality works utilizing a vibrant and bold colour palette like her mother to depict sacred places and stories reflecting her love and knowledge of country, law and culture. Angilyiya has found her own unique style of painting while working side by side with her mother Anmanari Brown. Expect to see more great things from Angilyiya this year.
Prints for Sale
A reminder to all our friends that some artist’s prints are still available for sale.
Check out Nomad Art online gallery www.nomadart.com.au for stunning prints by Anmanaria Brown and Tjayanka Woods. Priced accordingly these very special elders first prints on paper have been exquisitely printed by Basil Hall Editions in Darwin. Anamnari has painted Ngaturn Rockhole while Tjayanka Woods has painted the Seven Sisters story. Artist Thomas Reid has also done a beautiful wood block print on paper honouring the work of his late father Cliff Reid. Representing Papulankutja Artists in the 20 th Anniversary Desert Mob Panel Project last year his unique print is also available for purchase through Basil Hall Editions in Darwin. www.basilhalleditions.com.au
Anmanari Brown, Ngaturn Rockhole, 2010
Tjayanka Woods, The Seven Sisters, 2010
Thomas Reid, Tingarri, 2010
Aug 31, 2010
Aug 15, 2010
Jimmy Donegan - Telstra Award Winner- Congratulations!
Congratulations to Jimmy Donegan! The Telstra award '2010' winner. We were lucky to have Jimmy visit our Art centre today as a celebrity! A special man and family to us in Papulankutja!
Jimmy paints across the border in South Australia for the NINUKU Art Centre ninukuarts.com.au
CONGRATULATIONS NINUKU and JIMMY D.!!!
Jimmy paints across the border in South Australia for the NINUKU Art Centre ninukuarts.com.au
May 19, 2010
May 6, 2010
Blackstone Festival update
Many thanks to all those helping set up with preparations for the Blackstone Festival!
This year we are focusing on a healthy eating programme with healthy cooking and food events sponsered by Anglo American
and Music Workshops and performance sponsored by the Jimmy Little foundation featuring Shellie Morris
Anglo American is one of the world's largest diversified mining and natural resource groups. "We strive to generate lasting benefits everywhere we operate. Today, our commitments to safety, operational excellence and sustainable development are stronger than ever. These commitments support our ambition to become the leading global mining company." (quote from Website).
The Blackstone Festival is seen as an oportunity to celebrate our community as well as the 'greater community' of the Ngaanyatjarra lands. and none of this could be achieved without the good will and participation of everyone involved! CLICK ON THE HIGHLIGHTED LINKS ABOVE FOR WEBSITES!
Mar 14, 2010
Blackstone Festival update
We have recently heard that Jimmy Little can not make the May festival due to health reasons. We will however endeavor to invite him back possibly in September 2010. We wish Jimmy good health and hope to see him soon!
Feb 15, 2010
Anawari Mitchell
Congratulations to Ananwari Mitchell. Her work has been acquired by The National Gallery of Australia. A rising star!
Jan 26, 2010
Jan 24, 2010
New Year From Blackstone
Many thanks to everyone for such a successful Christmas sale. 40% of the proceeds went to the installation of two air conditioner units in our main painting rooms. If we didn’t have the support from happy customers, we would be very hot and bothered right now!
Many thanks to the ever resourceful Ben Fox from 'Wilurarra Creative' previously known as 'Warburton Youth Arts' http://warburtonyoutharts.blogspot.com/ Thanks to Ben for helping install our shade cloth providing a courtyard painting space. So far the structure has survived 2 storms and a cyclone! This space will be receiving a full upgrade including wind breaks and flooring, but for now it is finally a usable working space out of the hot desert sun.
We have many new Galleries dealing with us this year, so all the hard work and promotion has paid off. Chapman Gallery in Canberra and the Woolloongabba Art Gallery
Other exciting news is that Jimmy Little – the famous Aboriginal singer/actor – better known to our mob from his staring roll in ‘Return of the Boomerang!’ - Apparently it was the first movie shown to the Mob in Warburton in the old Mission days! We are planning to have Jimmy attend this years Blackstone Arts festival to sing and play guitar, while supporting the cause of diabetes awareness and education for our kids. We have just begun initial talks and we will hope to lock in a date for May.
Our Artist have shown some incredible progress and this year the demand from galleries has really picked up – the bees knees in demand are shown in the promotional images on this blog and soon to be featured in our new website which should be up and running in the next few weeks. – We sure have a skillfull Mob here!
Jan 13, 2010
Nov 16, 2009
Creativity throughout the Ages
Creativity throughout the ages has shifted and changed within the attitudes reflected by an ever changing contemporary society. The ancient cultures ideally believed in an external creative force which would pass through the artist and be reflected in the work. In ancient Greek philosophy this external creative force was seen as a muse. Ancient Europeans traditions believed in the spirits of the land, faeries that would come and go tricking some and blessing others. These beliefs separated the creative process from ourselves as individuals and allowed the artist the privilege of creating without fear of judgement or persecution and the act of creating was seen as a blessing from the spirits. It could also be seen that this process of creativity was free, abundant, and completely untamed.
Creativity in European society changed dramatically during the Renaissance period, when the individual was seen as the creative energy himself. This period saw the rise of the ‘pop star’ artist, artist that would gain success beyond their time for creating work from their own incredible hands. These artists would take on the burdens of success and failures of their art. This was the beginning of the artist ‘ego‘, a conflict of self satisfying pursuits and public recognition. This individual creativity and anguish now manifests itself in modern society as the ‘tormented artist‘, drinking and unsociable, sacrificing family and love for their art, unable to have ‘healthy regular’ lives like the rest of society. There is no room for family and children, or a ‘real job’ as the artist is made to believe he has to ‘suffer’ for his art.
Creativity in the Australian Aboriginal sense known as the ‘dreaming’ had a sense of the old worldview of creativity, where the spirits were responsible and the knowledge was a sacred energy passed on to the elders and healers within a tribe. This sacred creative process has shifted in the past 20 years to fit the mould of contemporary society turning from that of a ‘sacred source’ to that of an individual artistic expression. Our most successful artists have ‘solo’ shows and have works featured in major collections further exemplifying the ‘individual artist’ approach.
Our artists working at Papulankutja are creating in a period where the ‘creative dreaming’ spirit is still very much alive but is threatened to vanish and be morphed by a more contemporary creative ‘individual model’. People are afraid that Aboriginal culture is being lost to its contemporary version of itself, however, the old dreaming spirit is still very much alive, living in country. This energy never left, we just have to remember to listen to it and paint it the way that country wants it to be painted. We at Papulankutja are trying to nurture the ancient wisdom and ancient creative abilities to keep this creative energy alive and strong. We talk about the greater spirit known as ‘country’ and how we can paint that feeling of spirit into our paintings. The break through is evident when a young artist transcends the usual styles of story telling to a more defined and expressionistic interpretation of the stories which clearly demonstrates that the story and country is alive whin their painting. I am lucky to have seen this ‘break through’ period in many of or artists who have desired more than painting ’ordinary’ paintings, and are now painting artworks with a deeper expression of story and vitality with energy which can only be described as coming from the spirit of ancestors and the earth beneath them.
Creativity in European society changed dramatically during the Renaissance period, when the individual was seen as the creative energy himself. This period saw the rise of the ‘pop star’ artist, artist that would gain success beyond their time for creating work from their own incredible hands. These artists would take on the burdens of success and failures of their art. This was the beginning of the artist ‘ego‘, a conflict of self satisfying pursuits and public recognition. This individual creativity and anguish now manifests itself in modern society as the ‘tormented artist‘, drinking and unsociable, sacrificing family and love for their art, unable to have ‘healthy regular’ lives like the rest of society. There is no room for family and children, or a ‘real job’ as the artist is made to believe he has to ‘suffer’ for his art.
Creativity in the Australian Aboriginal sense known as the ‘dreaming’ had a sense of the old worldview of creativity, where the spirits were responsible and the knowledge was a sacred energy passed on to the elders and healers within a tribe. This sacred creative process has shifted in the past 20 years to fit the mould of contemporary society turning from that of a ‘sacred source’ to that of an individual artistic expression. Our most successful artists have ‘solo’ shows and have works featured in major collections further exemplifying the ‘individual artist’ approach.
Our artists working at Papulankutja are creating in a period where the ‘creative dreaming’ spirit is still very much alive but is threatened to vanish and be morphed by a more contemporary creative ‘individual model’. People are afraid that Aboriginal culture is being lost to its contemporary version of itself, however, the old dreaming spirit is still very much alive, living in country. This energy never left, we just have to remember to listen to it and paint it the way that country wants it to be painted. We at Papulankutja are trying to nurture the ancient wisdom and ancient creative abilities to keep this creative energy alive and strong. We talk about the greater spirit known as ‘country’ and how we can paint that feeling of spirit into our paintings. The break through is evident when a young artist transcends the usual styles of story telling to a more defined and expressionistic interpretation of the stories which clearly demonstrates that the story and country is alive whin their painting. I am lucky to have seen this ‘break through’ period in many of or artists who have desired more than painting ’ordinary’ paintings, and are now painting artworks with a deeper expression of story and vitality with energy which can only be described as coming from the spirit of ancestors and the earth beneath them.
Oct 11, 2009
Janet Forbes Images
Janet Forbes
Janet Forbes, daughter of Fred Forbes, the founder of the Blackstone settlement. Janet has been working with the natural colours, ochres and whites and her works come across with a sense of reverence for her country. Hidden amongst the white tips of the spinifex grass you may make out a goanna, sacred obects, hunting tools, and special sites. A circle depicts a claypan, the zigzags and squares make the ridges of the Blackstone ranges, other markings depicts the people gathering for a ceremony. Blackstone is littered with purposeful places and hidden secrets. Janet marks out these places, often 'rubbing out' an area and starting over if she is not happy with their placement, a true perfectionist. A work is not complete untill it passes over Janet's discerning eye and when she is ready, she will set the knowledge free into the market place. Papulankutja's secrets are in safe hands with Janets watchfull eye.
Oct 5, 2009
Sep 7, 2009
Carlton Isaac Reid
Second eldest son to Cliff Reid, Carlton has painted a very serious dreaming story. In the story a father would go hunting and when he got back his son would tell lies such as that his mother and he had eaten a fat goanna while the father was out hunting. He had been lying many times, so much that his mother punished him, taking him away from his fathers country to never return again. The white lines represent the tracks of the boy over the sand dune country. This story has similarities to 'the boy that cried wolf', but a more ancient telling of the tale.
Carlton is a contemporary young man reflected by his painting style. Innovative with technique, using thick, bold brush strokes opting for a 3 inch brush while maintaining the cultural colours and ochres used traditionally. This technique is descriptive of the power he wants to push forward in his art. He strips back all the details and the important aspects and the power of the story remains. Carlton was brought up with strong bush memories, growing up in the then young Blackstone community. He is 32 years old, educated in the Blackstone school and he is now a strong leader in his community with contemporary ideas and concepts to better his community. Carlton Reid is a contemporary painter while maintaining cultural knowledge and power handed down to him as the next generation Papulankutja artists.
Jul 22, 2009
Narelle Holland
Narelle has painted country where the emu was hunted. The men would go to the rock hole to spear the emu, using stillness as their weapon. The first layer of paint marks the country and its landmarks, the second layer, a delicate layering of lush cream and white dotting depict the spinifex which camouflages the country. The men have been painted with the raw brush strokes contained in the first layer and the second laying of spinifex and dotting cloaks the men, keeping them hidden from the viewer and the Emu they hunt.
Jun 30, 2009
Paint 'Right Way'
Thomas Reid known to Blackstone as 'T.R.' has stepped up as a painter, taking on the rights to stories given to him by his father Cliff Reid. His father, the number one male artists in Blackstone with a solo show in August in Melbourne with William Mora Galleries and a very successful painter, paints what he knows. Cliff paints stories he was told and paints them 'his way', the same way they painted those stories on Singing Rock, the same way those paintings have been painted for many years, raw gestures, symbols, dreaming tracks of the elders and the beings from the dreaming. Thomas is the eldest son of Cliff and Ruby Reid, and the responsibilities of being the eldest are to remember the stories and tell them 'right way'. Cliff told his son 'paint slow way', to make every mark count. The figures will then have character, the lines will have meanings and the story will be told. The image shown here is of a tribal battle. One side is stronger than the other. The strong side have their spears held up high, the figures seem taller, bigger, just like he was told they were in the story. On the weak side some are dying, spears are pierced into their legs, stomachs and heads. The battle is carefully choreographed like a World War 2 Movie, the men falling down, younger warriors are fighting amongst their elders, and there is no hope, they will lose. Thomas tells us that the battle was fought in the dreaming, a battle to warn us of future wars and the seriousness of their consequences? A warning to future generations maybe? Dreaming stories tell us the 'right way to live'. As a human culture all over the world we haven't learned from our own fables and dreaming stories, but did Thomas' ancestors learn to live in peace and not war, did they listen to their own stories? All we can do is learn the 'right way' and hope that future generations are listening.
Jun 15, 2009
May 22, 2009
Jennifer Mitchell
Title of painting: Minyma Kutjara
Jennifer was born in 1955 and is one of Blackstone's artistic Gems. Jennifer has been painting since 2008 and is a natural colourist and has a delicate touch with her unique dotting style. Over the course of the last five months I have witnessed Jennifer develop as a painter from strength to strength incorporating what works well in a work and finding new ways to strengthen what works. With this process of development Jennifer has created a unique style of painted dabbles with a brush which are overlaid with a delicate dotting from the sharp end of a stick. She paints the country, looking down from the sky, imagining the delicate dappling of the spinifex and grass overlaying the hardness of the rock surfaces beneath. You really do get a sense of flying over the country, looking down at the painting while standing above it, and you get the sense of wanting to 'jump in' to the country. Jennifer knows this country well, the clay pans, the hills, the dry creek beds and soaks and the sand dunes and with this knowledge she is transported back to country as she paints it from above. Painting is a way of life for Jennifer and day by day she crosses lines between painting country and visiting country and the two become one with the power of country being felt within the delicate dotting of her work.
May 5, 2009
The Blackstone Festival Begins!
The festivities have been wonderful. We have had many visitors and volunteers arrive. There has been a cloths stall and Beauty salon run by the ladies from Wiluna Community. They have also provided their amazing large geen 4WD Bus for the dancing activities lead by Jodie Lane from Margaret river. We had many smiling faces crammed into the bus as they disappeared for well over 4 hrs of dancing and 'painting up'.
The glass blowers have been the usual hit with the kids lining up for a go. Our performance Artists of the 'Melting pot Crew' have also been busy entertaining establishing group participation with the school performance program.
Today will be a big day with the arrival of the DESART MOB from Alice Springs as well as visiting art centres for Art centre talks and discussion, also Desart will be hosting the wednesday night Community BBQ!!!
Another highlight today will be the anticipated visit from the 'Clown Doctor' (rumour has it that we was trained by Patch Adams himself).
The energy levels of the community have been well on the 'up' and we hope to continue the happiness levels of our community well into the next week with many more festivities to go - with a Movie night, Disco Night and sports events on the weekend will finish off the event.
Many Happy Blackstone Festival Returns to ALL!
Glass Art - Festival Time 2009
Hello everybody. It has been a wonderful week here at Blackstone with the start of our annual Blackstone Festival. The images depicted here are close ups of our glass work activities. Our friends from Margaret river come out every year for the festival to teach kids and adults alike the wonderful craft of Glass Blowing. The colours are magical and the process is mesmerizing.
Apr 30, 2009
Gallery Wall
In Preparation for the Blackstone Festival and visiting Gallery buyers, paintings have been stretched and hung to Maximum effect!... The Gallery wall has been received with great adoration from our Artists, instilling a great sense of achievement. There is nothing more satisfying then spending a whole week on a work and then standing back, having a look, and then, saying "finished!"
The Blackstone Reading Room
Edith Lyons and Jean Lane, having an in-depth read of the new 'Art Collector Guide to Aboriginal Art Centres' Magazine. Both featured in the magazine with stunning artworks.
Madeleine's hanging system
The proud creator of the new Blackstone Art Centre Hanging System! (B.A.C.H.S)
4 right angle brackets and a bunch of coat hangers - what a masterful achievement!
Apr 23, 2009
Rosie Lane
Rosie Lane, a young vibrant painter with a brighter future ahead. Thick detailed, purposefully dotted paint. Marks dropped from a touch of a stick, a heavily textured surface, a feast for the eyes and purposefully suited to Rosie's vibrant personality, not to mention her colourful dress sense. Always painting with a smile, a production of happiness translated directly to the viewer, with artworks to lighten up any dull mood. Rosie is as her name is and her artworks are as cheerful and uplifting as a desert storm is to the parched land - bringing life to everything she touches.
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