ABORIGINAL DESERT ART  GALLERY

POLLY NAPANGARDI WATSON

Polly Napangardi is a Senior Law Women and as such is responsible for all facets of painting ceremonies.

ARTIST: POLLY NAPANGARDI WATSON
BORN CA: 1930
GROUP: WARLPIRI
AREA: MOUNT DOREEN, WESTERN DESERT

She formally began painting in the late 1980's and was schooled by Rene Robinson. One definitive highlight and specialty of her present work rests in her ability to bring to life with her dreaming paintings the visual nature, contour and structure of her paintings.

Moreover, Polly has the innate capacity to meld together the earthy and definitive skill of her craft to her deep understanding and perspective associated with her culture. This interaction is seen and felt through the rigorous high quality standard of work she sets for herself.

The end result to this mastery is a transmutation of visual feeling onto the canvas making her paintings almost appear three dimensional.

Polly is responsible for a number of dreamings. These are Water, Honey Ant, Kangaroo, Marsupial Mouse, Bilby, Mulga seed, Goanna, Kingfisher, Bush Orange & Women's Dreaming.

Polly's ancestral land stretches out into the Tanami desert. However, the bulk of her work encompasses three traditional sites. These are Purtulu, Mount Doreen and the Pikilyi site. Many dreamings converge on these sites especially the latter since this area has a permanent water supply that is bordered by hilly terrain.

Polly Napangardi now resides in Alice Springs where she has taught her daughter, Susie Nangala how to paint. This knowledge is being passed on to her grandchildren of which Selina Napaljarri is a promising example.

Besides her painting, Polly is kept very busy with her numerous other tasks as a Traditional Senior Law Women. She must attend and travel to various tribal and inter-tribal meetings to participate and oversee many aspects of custom, culture and ceremony for which she is bound.

Polly Napangardi Watson has been painting for Michael Hollow Aboriginal Desert Art Gallery, in Alice Springs - Melbourne and Sydney since 1994. Polly's work has been exhibited throughout Australia and in many places around the world, particularly in Western Europe and in North America: Australian Embassy Washington 1999 United Nations building New York City 1999