Stories

Walala, Thomas (Tamayinya) and Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri Warlimpirringa encouraged his brothers to paint and by the late 1990’s all three, along with Dr George Tjapaltjarri, were painting in Alice Springs. I first began working with Walala and Thomas in 2001 and Warlimpirrnga in 2003. Walala spent more time in Alice Springs than Thomas or Warlimpirrnga, who were often in Kiwirrkura (just over the WA border). They liked painting together and appeared to all be...

just another day at the painting place Around 2003, Walala Tjapaltjarri, Pansy Napangati and Molly Napaltjarri Jugadai were painting in the Tingari Arts large painting place on the western side of Alice Springs. Pansy Napangati painting up close at Tingari Arts Alice Springs   Pansy and Molly were telling me how they would catch, cook and eat perenties, Australia’s largest lizard, and what great bushtucker it is. I wasn’t convinced....

Gloria (Tamerre) Petyarre and Walala Tjapaltjarri different brushes - different linen preparation - different styles - both magical An artist's brush is made of three parts: the handle, the ferrule, and the hair ('fibre). Ferrules are crimp-on metal tubes used to create a  secure and solid tip for the hair (fibre). The artists working with Tingari Arts were very particular about the size, style and quality of the paintbrushes they would...

Behind the scenes at Tingari Arts Before the artists paint their magic, every painting surface must be carefully prepared. At Tingari Arts, this process takes time, patience, and skill. The material used is often called “canvas”, but it is actually Belgian linen, a beautiful and expensive fabric that provides a superior painting surface. My colleague and friend Sonnie Chalmers from Utopia’s Eastern Desert Art and I would jointly purchase large...