Patsy Marfura & Tjanpi Desert Weavers

Patsy Marfura is a Ngangiwumerri speaker, born at the Daly River Mission in 1942. In her late thirties she moved to Peppimenarti with her family, where her grandmother and elders taught her to weave traditional dilly bags and mats.

Patsy began painting in 2001, transferring the patterns of weavings and body painting marks on to canvas, her primary subjects are Durrmu (body painting) and Fi (sand palm twine), these subjects are painted with a delicate hand and a sophisticated use of colour.

Patsy has been exhibiting nationally since 2002 and was a finalist in the Xstrata Coal Emerging Indigenous Art Award in 2008.


Tjanpi Desert Weavers
Nganampa Mmantanguru Nyuntu Ngangany (From our land you see)

Tjanpi Desert Weavers is the arts employment enterprise of the Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantatjara Yankunytjatjara Women's Council, a resource advocacy and support organisation for Aboriginal women living in remote communities across the Western and Central Deserts.

Tjanpi meaning dry grass refers to the various native materials used in the construction of these vibrant and dynamic sculptural works; native desert grasses, bound with string, wool and raffia, the works often including feathers, seeds and found objects.
Teaching the process of sourcing and preparing these materials is essential to nurturing links with country and passing on knowledge to future generations.

The work of Tjanpi artists is represented in the majority of state collections around the world and in 2005 they were the winners of the 22nd Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Artwork
• Sculpture
• Exhibition