The exhibition highlights the unique characteristics of each artist’s style, embracing their individuality and strength. Voluptuous drips by the sure hand of Harry Tjutjuna; bold minimalism of relative newcomer Sandy Brumby; fine and elegant dot work by Telstra Award winner Jimmy Donegan and the quirky compositions of Nyanu Watson – this is seriously a show not to be missed.

- Claire Eltringham, Manager, Ninuku Arts


SANDY BRUMBY was born circa 1930 in Victory Downs, an outstation near Pukatja, Ernabella (in the APY Lands) South Australia. It was not until he reached his sixties that he picked up a paint brush for the first time, and discovered a passion for painting, as well as a strong need to tell his story.

Sandy Brumby’s approach to telling his story through art is highly individual; although his paintings are simple in composition and raw in their application of paint, his brush strokes are very delicate, belying the astoundingly powerful spirit within.

His paintings are raw and bold, demonstrating a strong connection to his country and his culture. He has a deep love of colour and uses a broad palette when he paints, selecting – with natural intuition – colours that sing beautifully together.

In the relatively short career period his works have been acquired by significant public collections, including the National Gallery of Victoria and Queensland Art Gallery.


JIMMY DONEGAN (‘Mr Donegan’) was born at Yanpan, a rockhole near Ngatuntjarra Bore circa 1940, and grew up in the country surrounding Papulankutja (Blackstone) and Mantamaru (Jamieson) in Western Australia. He is a strong cultural man, deeply involved in traditional law and ceremony, as he paints Tjurkurpa (Dreaming) associated with the sacred sites throughout the Ngaanyatjarra Lands. His vibrant palette and elegant dotting technique truly makes his stories come alive.

In 2010, Mr Donegan won the most prestigious art prize in Australia – the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award (known as the Telstra Award). He was the winner of two sections – the General Painting category and the overall prize.

Like much of Donegan’s work over the past decade, the award winning painting is solemn and emphatic in its design, but dazzlingly illuminated. The artist’s technique is to compose the colour lines of his canvases from thousands of large dots in different hues, which blend into a whole (Nicolas Rothwell, The Weekend Australian, August 2010).


Born in the bush circa 1930, and currently residing in the Pipalyatjara community, HARRY TJUTJUNA is a revered artist, Ngangkari (traditional healer), and one of the most senior Law men of the area. His knowledge of Tjukurpa (Dreaming stories) associated with the land surrounding Pipalyatjara is extensive and, due to his seniority, is unmatched by most others. He paints a range of stories including Wati Wanka (Spider Man); Wati Nyiru, the man who chases seven sisters around and eventually marries one; and Kungka Tjuta – young girls telling stories traditional way by drawing designs in the sand (milpatjunanyi).

His unique approach to painting, his use of whimsical themes, combined with his masterful use of the brush, has quickly positioned Harry Tjutjuna as one of the most highly sought-after artists in the APY Lands, and throughout Australia. His work features in numerous prominent collections and institutions, including the National Gallery of Australia, the National Gallery of Victoria, and the Art Gallery of New South Wales, and most recently, acquired by Artbank.


NYANU WATSON was born at a site near Pukatja (Ernabella), and as a young girl, she worked at the mission, spinning and dyeing wools to make rugs. Nyanu then travelled to Kalka, where she still lives today.

As well as being an avid craftswoman – mostly wood carving and grass weaving – Nyanu is known for her unusual paintings depicting various animals found in the area surrounding Kalka. She uses a combination of brushwork and dotting to create the highly stylised and unique creatures for which she has become known. Some of her favourites include the ngintaka (perentie), anumara (type of caterpillar), and kakalyalya (pink cockatoo).