From our heads and our hands: stories told with colour issuu

REDOT FINE ART GALLERY in collaboration with Yarrenyty Arltere Artists presents

From our heads and our hands: stories told with colour A Collection of Fine Yarrenyty Arltere Sculptures

4 th February - 5 th March 2016

For a high resolution, downloadable, PDF version of the this catalogue, with pricing, please send us an email to info@redotgallery.com Thank you.

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Yarrenyty Arltere, Meaning White Devil Dog, is the Hill which the Art Centre is named after Source: Š Photo Courtesy of ReDot Fine Art Gallery

From our heads and our hands: stories told with colour

The ReDot Fine Art Gallery proudly invites you to our 2nd exhibition of exceptional 3D works from one of Australia’s foremost Aboriginal owned art centres, Yarrenyty Arltere Artists, in what will be a fitting evolution and progression from our first ever soft sculptural works in Singapore in 2014.

We will be showcasing the sublime talents of the quirky and iconic soft sculptures of the artists of Yarrenyty Arltere in a show titled, From our heads and our hands: stories told with colour.

Yarrenyty Arltere Artists is part of the Yarrenyty Arltere Learning Centre (YALC), a family resource and learning facility located at Larapinta Valley Town Camp in Alice Springs. The centre aims to improve the social, health, environmental and economic well-being of the community in a way that strengthens and respects culture. The centre was initiated by the community in 2000 to respond to the very serious social problems being faced by families. The art centre has become an integral part of the centre producing some of the most highly sought after and beautifully created soft

sculptures from recycled woollen blankets and other materials. The work is strongly underpinned by its own culture; that of people living in town camps for a number of generations. It speaks of country, local flora and fauna, family, cattle station and town camp life whilst also becoming highly collectable and, sweeping many national art prizes, as collectors and national institutions battle to acquire these whimsical delights.

These new works, centred on the theme of the “animal life” in and around the town camp situated in Alice Springs, will enthral any lover of the whimsical and the obscure.

With 23 newly created gems over the last 18 months from both the established and highly collectable Rhonda Sharpe and Dulcie Sharpe to the blossoming creations of rising stars Trudy Inkamala, Valerie Stafford, Roxanne Petrick, Rosabella Ryder and Marlene Rubuntja.

The tightly curated collection boasts birds, owls, dogs and other worldly creations, all with a story to tell about their creation and existence in the delicate eco-system of the central desert, and the culture and law that they represent for Indigenous people.

The exhibition begins on Thursday 4th February and runs until Saturday 5th March 2016, with an opening reception attended by artists from the Larapinta town camp on Thursday 18th February, together with art-centre coordinator Sophie Wallace.

This is a must-see show for anyone interested in following the on-going developments in Indigenous Art and an opportunity to better understand the work being produced by one of Australia’s finest community based Indigenous art projects.

Giorgio Pilla Director ReDot Fine Art Gallery

Left Page: Women in Blue. From Left: Dulcie Sharpe, Trudy Inkamala, Dulcie Raggett, Rhonda Sharpe, Marlene Rubuntja Source: © Photo Courtesy of Yarrenyty Arltere Arts Following Page: Yarrenyty Arltere Artists Mission Statements Source: © Photo Courtesy of ReDot Fine Art Gallery

“The art makes us think of our culture in another way and what we want people to know.

It’s good for everyone to have a place like this it helps us be part of both worlds.”

Dulcie Sharpe

Trudy INKAMALA

Birth Date Language Place of Birth Skin/Clan

16 August 1940 Luritja, Western Arrernte Hamilton Downs Napaljarri

Trudy Inkamala was born at Hamilton Downs, north west of Alice Springs. Her father worked at Hamilton Downs Station in the garden, growing vegetable for the youth camp. Trudy recalls that it was a happy place to live. She remembers helping her nanna gather the wood so they could do all the washing.

She also helped her nanna cook bullock meat and ‘killer’ everyday for the station.

Trudy met her husband when she went to school at Ntaria (Hermannsburg). She lived with her husband at Jay Creek, which she says is also her country.

Trudy only starting sewing at the end of 2013, after her husband of many years sadly passed away. Now she says she cannot stop sewing, “all weekend, sewing, sewing, sewing”. Trudy now resides at Jay Creek and travels daily to the art centre to work.

Collections Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Selected Group Exhibitions 2016 From our heads and our hands: stories told with colour - ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore.

Outsider Art Fair, New York, USA (with Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery).

TARNANTHI Festival of Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia.

Selfies Exhibition - Tangentyere Gallery, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Desert Mob - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Making art, making life - Aboriginal & Pacific Art Sydney, NSW, Australia.

2015 Tjulpu - Talapi Gallery, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

2014 Figuratively Speaking: Town Camp artists tell their stories, Aboriginal & PaciďŹ c Art Sydney, NSW, Australia.

We Just Keep On Travelling Further - ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore.

SelďŹ es Exhibition - Tangentyere Gallery, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Desert Mob - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

This Belongs To Us, But We Did It For You - Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

Group Show - Aritija Fine Art, Fremantle, WA, Australia.

Trudy INKAMALA

Running Bird Soft Sculpture 39 x 37 x 8cm 265-15

When all the children chase the birds in the bush, you will see the birds running away and then y.

Trudy INKAMALA

Girl with Brown Hair Soft Sculpture 32 x 23 x 5cm 263-15

Trudy made a pair of sisters using recycled blankets and the other piece is a girl with rainbow hair. This girl might only have brown hair but she has a nice dress to wear.

Trudy INKAMALA

Girl with Rainbow Hair Soft Sculpture 37 x 22 x 6cm 264-15

Trudy made a pair of sisters usuing recycled blankets and the other piece is a girl with brown hair. This little girl has hair like a rainbow and Trudy especially enjoyed sewing this piece.

Roxanne PETRICK

Birth Date Language Place of Birth

17 March 1986 Alyawarre Alice Springs

Roxanne Petrick was born in Alice Springs. Her father’s country is north east of Harts Range at Irrelirre outstation. That is also where Roxanne spent most of her time while growing up. In her father’s country, there are lots of hills and animals, including kangaroo, porcupine, goanna, perentie and emu. All these food meant it was good country for hunting.

Roxanne travelled everyday on the bus from Irrelirre to the school at Harts Range. She came to Alice Springs for a sports weekend once and met her husband. Now they live together at Larapinta Valley Town Camp where her husband’s family are based.

Roxanne started coming to the art room in 2015 when her husband started work at the Yarrenyty Arltere Learning Centre (YALC). She now goes to the art room daily to sew.

She loves the bright colours of the wool and cottons, which they give her lots of ideas.

Collections Harriett & Richard England Collection, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Selected Group Exhibitions 2016 From our heads and our hands: stories told with colour - ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore.

Outsider Art Fair, New York, USA (with Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery).

Roxanne PETRICK

Rooster Soft Sculpture 41 x 42 x 8cm 210-15

Roxanne has been creating roosters since she started sewing and now wants to try doing different things. She enjoys her time in the art centre, constantly sewing even at home and on the weekends.

Roxanne PETRICK

Rooster Soft Sculpture 43 x 39 x 14cm 254-15

Roxanne has just started learning how to sew and so far she enjoys her time working with all the other artists.

Roxanne PETRICK

Rabbit Soft Sculpture 29 x 33 x 10cm 253-15

Roxanne made this rabbit as she wanted to try something different from the roosters she usually makes.

Dulcie RAGGETT

Birth Date Language Place of Birth Skin/Clan

19 August 1970 Luritja Alice Springs Napurrula

Dulcie Raggett grew up at Glen Helen Station, west of Alice Springs. She was born in Alice Springs. Her father worked as a stockman on the station. When she was six, she moved with her mother to Trucking Yards in Alice Springs, where she lived until she was a young adult.

Dulcie has four children and spends time between Alice Springs and Harts Range. Her presence in the art room is always welcomed, and she continues to develop strong and personal work, both in soft sculpture and print making.

Collections Berndt Museum, University of Western Australia (UWA), Perth, WA, Australia.

Selected Group Exhibitions 2016 From our heads and our hands: stories told with colour - ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore.

2015 TARNANTHI Festival of Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia.

Selfies Exhibition - Tangentyere Gallery, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Desert Mob - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Making art, making life - Aboriginal & Pacific Art Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Tjulpu - Talapi Gallery, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

2014 Figuratively Speaking: Town Camp artists tell their stories, Aboriginal & Pacific Art Sydney, NSW, Australia.

We Just Keep On Travelling Further - ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore Selfies Exhibition - Tangentyere Gallery, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

2014 Desert Mob - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

2013 With Our Healing Hands - Aboriginal and PaciďŹ c Art, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Our Way, Their Way - RAFT Gallery, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Good People, Strong People Made This Art - Gallery Nomad, Darwin, NT, Australia.

2012 Healing Larapinta - Mossenson Gallery, Perth, WA, Australia.

Dulcie RAGGETT

Bird with Wings Soft Sculpture 45 x 38 x 9cm 268-15

The eagle has good eyes for seeing everywhere and big wings for ying all around.

Dulcie sometimes imagines that if she were a bird, she would want to be like an eagle.

Marlene RUBUNTJA

Birth Date Language Place of Birth Skin/Clan

28 February 1961 Arrernte Alice Springs Penangke

Marlene Rubuntja was born in Alice Springs. Her mother’s country is Ntaria (Hermannsburg), west of Alice Springs. Marlene grew up at Amoonguna community, east of Alice Springs, where she went to school.

Marlene is the daughter of Wenton Rubuntja the well-known painter and activist. It was her father who fought for the rights of people to settle town camps. In the 1970’s her family, the Rubuntjas, along with the Ebatarinjas and the Lynches, were the original families to settle Larapinta Valley Town Camp. Marlene has been here ever since and she is proud to call this place home. She is sister to the important watercolour artist Mervyn Rubuntja.

Marlene learnt to sew at Yirara College, Alice Springs. However, she only began making soft sculptures at Yarrenyty Arltere in 2009. Marlene draws inspiration for her soft sculptures from what she sees around her in her daily life at Larapinta Valley Town Camp; “some things are good for people and other things make people really mad”.

She also draws inspiration from her husband’s country at Wave Hill.

Marlene is interested in telling proudly the stories of her people and her art is helping her to do this. She is a proud spokeswoman for the art centre and is happy to tell people how important it is in her life in helping her stay strong and healthy. Marlene has also written the script for both the soft sculpture animations made at the art centre in conjunction with the YALC multimedia room.

Collections Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW), Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Maitland Regional Art Gallery (MRAG), Maitland, NSW, Australia.

Awards 2011 Final Selection - Togart Contemporary Art Award, Darwin, NT, Australia.

Selected Group Exhibitions 2016 From our heads and our hands: stories told with colour - ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore.

Outsider Art Fair, New York, USA (with Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery).

2015 TARNANTHI Festival of Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia.

Selfies Exhibition - Tangentyere Gallery, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Desert Mob - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Salon Des Refuses - Darwin, NT, Australia.

Making art, making life - Aboriginal & Pacific Art Sydney, NSW, Australia.

We are in Wonder LAND: New Experimental Art from Central Australia University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Tjulpu - Talapi Gallery, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

2014 Figuratively Speaking: Town Camp artists tell their stories, Aboriginal & Pacific Art Sydney, NSW, Australia.

We Just Keep On Travelling Further - ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore Selfies Exhibition - Tangentyere Gallery, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Desert Mob - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Salon Des Refuses - Darwin, NT, Australia.

This Belongs To Us, But We Did It For You - Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

Group Show - Aritija Fine Art, Fremantle, WA, Australia.

2013 Desert Mob - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

With Our Healing Hands - Aboriginal and Pacific Art, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

String Theory: Focus on Contemporary Australian Art - MCA Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Our Way, Their Way - RAFT Gallery, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Good People, Strong People Made This Art - Gallery Nomad, Darwin, NT, Australia.

2012 Small Works - Outstation Gallery, Darwin, NT, Australia.

With Our Hands We Tell Our Stories Our Way - Aboriginal and Pacific Art, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Desert Mob - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

2012 Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair - Darwin, NT, Australia.

Yarrenyty Arltere Open Night - Yarrenyty Arltere Learning Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

A ďŹ ne Line - Chan Contemporary Art Space, Darwin, NT, Australia.

Bush Animals - Gallery Nomad, Canberra, ACT, Australia.

Owl Exhibition - Tali Gallery, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Creatures - Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

Listen: Tangentyere and Yarrenyty Arltere Stories - Merenda Gallery, Perth, WA, Australia.

Healing Larapinta - Mossenson Gallery, Perth, WA, Australia.

2011 Soft Sculptures - Tali Gallery, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Desert Mob - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Soft Sculptures - Chapman Gallery, Canberra, ACT, Australia.

Outback Prints - Handmark Gallery, Hobart, TAS, Australia.

Yarrenyty Arltere Birds - Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

Yarrenyty Arltere Open Night - Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Faces of Larapinta - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Melbourne Affordable Art Fair - Tapir Studio, Hobart, TAS, Australia.

Many Stories To Tell - Gallery Nomad, Darwin Canberra, ACT, Australia.

2010 Art from the Heart of Town Camps - Outstation Gallery Darwin, NT, Australia.

Yarrenyty Arltere Open Night - Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

2009 Yarrenyty Arltere Open Night - Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Marlene RUBUNTJA

Beautiful Big Bird Soft Sculpture 84 x 49 x 40cm 227-15

Marlene has stitched her ideas onto this beautiful bird, its wings of colours and a body full of patterns.

Marlene RUBUNTJA

Owl Soft Sculpture 23 x 34 x 10cm 267-15

Marlene has sewn many owl heads using recycled blankets. If you look closely at the faces, they all make a different face and each one tells its own story.

Marlene RUBUNTJA

Little Owl Head with Long Ears Soft Sculpture 23 x 33 x 7cm 226-15

Marlene has sewn many owl heads using recycled blankets. If you look closely at the faces, they all make a different face and each one tells its own story.

Rosabella RYDER

Birth Date Language Place of Birth

19 November 1975 Arrernte Alice Springs

Rosabella Ryder was born in Alice Springs hospital.

She grew up at White Gate community with all her family; her grandfathers, aunts and uncles. Her grandfather’s country is Lillawill, Ross River way.

When she was 12, she moved with her family to Santa Teresa so she could go to school. At 16, she moved back to White Gate to get married and to have her ďŹ rst child. Now she has six children.

Rosabella has six children and she raise all her children out bush at No. 5 community, west of Alice Springs. Now she lives at Larapinta Town Camp and is happy to sew and work. It is a new feeling for her, to be thinking about making things every day. She is proud of her children and her art.

Selected Group Exhibition 2016 From our heads and our hands: stories told with colour - ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore.

Outsider Art Fair, New York, USA (with Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery).

Rosabella RYDER

Brown and White Bird Soft Sculpture 58 x 22 x 13cm 255-15

This is Rosabella’s first long bird, and this is a bird that she sees out bush.

Dulcie SHARPE

Birth Date Language Skin/Clan Place of Birth

10 September 1957 Luritja, Arrernte Napultjari Jay Creek

Dulcie Sharpe was born at Jay Creek, but spent many years growing up at Hamilton Downs Station.

Her mother is from Papunya and she is a Luritja speaker. Dulcie spends time out bush at Jay Creek with her sister Trudy Inkamala.

Dulcie was enrolled in the CertiďŹ cate II in Art and Craft with Batchelor College when Yarrenyty Arltere was a training program. Her inspiration for her art comes from animals and bush tucker. She enjoys teaching children about bush tucker and bush law. Dulcie helps to coordinate the intergenerational culture programme that happens from the Yarrenyty Arltere Learning Centre (YALC).

Dulcie has been involved in the public art works for the Alice Springs Hospital, Gillen Primary School and the Yarrenyty Arltere Learning Centre. Dulcie makes soft sculptures and limited edition etchings. She is a respected elder of the community and a positive role model for other artists.

Collections National Gallery of Australia (NGA), Canberra, ACT, Australia.

Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Flinders University Art Museum (FUAM), Adelaide, SA, Australia.

Awards 2014 Finalist - 31st National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT), Darwin, NT, Australia.

2013 Finalist, Highly Commended - Western Australian Indigenous Art Awards, Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.

2011 Final Selection - Togart Contemporary Art Award, Darwin, NT, Australia.

2010 Final Selection - Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Group Exhibitions 2016 From our heads and our hands: stories told with colour - ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore.

Outsider Art Fair, New York, USA (with Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery).

2015 TARNANTHI Festival of Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia.

Selfies Exhibition - Tangentyere Gallery, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Desert Mob - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Making art, making life - Aboriginal & Pacific Art Sydney, NSW, Australia.

We are in Wonder LAND: New Experimental Art from Central Australia University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Tjulpu - Talapi Gallery, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

2014 Figuratively Speaking: Town Camp artists tell their stories, Aboriginal & Pacific Art Sydney, NSW, Australia.

We Just Keep On Travelling Further - ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore.

Selfies Exhibition - Tangentyere Gallery, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

National Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Art Award, MAGNT Darwin, NT, Australia.

Desert Mob - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

This Belongs To Us, But We Did It For You - Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

Group Show - Aritija Fine Art, Fremantle, WA, Australia.

2013 Desert Mob - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

With Our Healing Hands - Aboriginal and Pacific Art, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

String Theory: Focus on Contemporary Australian Art - MCA, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Our Way, Their Way - RAFT Gallery, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

2012 Small Works - Outstation Gallery, Darwin, NT, Australia.

With Our Hands We Tell Our Stories Our Way - Aboriginal and Pacific Art, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Desert Mob - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair, Darwin, NT, Australia.

Yarrenyty Arltere Open Night - Yarrenyty Arltere Learning Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

2012 Bush Animals - Gallery Nomad, Canberra, ACT, Australia.

Owl Exhibition - Tali Gallery, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Creatures - Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

Listen: Tangentyere and Yarrenyty Arltere Stories - Merenda Gallery, Perth, WA, Australia.

Healing Larapinta - Mossenson Gallery, Perth, WA, Australia.

2011 Art From Town Camps - Tali Gallery, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Desert Mob - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Soft Sculptures - Chapman Gallery, Canberra, ACT, Australia.

Outback Prints - Handmark Gallery, Hobart, TAS, Australia.

Yarrenyty Arltere Birds - Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

Faces of Larapinta - Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Melbourne Affordable Art Fair - Tapir Studio, Hobart, TAS, Australia.

Many Stories to Tell - Gallery Nomad, Darwin, NT, Australia.

Strong Women, Strong Painting, Strong Culture - Cessnock Regional Art Gallery, NSW, Australia.

2010 Imprints from our Centre - Aboriginal and PaciďŹ c Art, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Art from the Heart of Town Camps - Outstation Gallery, Darwin, NT, Australia.

Desert Mob - Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Coming Together - Peta Appleyard, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Yarrenyty Arltere Open Night - Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Desert Links - Chapman Gallery, Canberra, ACT, Australia.

Yarrenyty Arltere Artists - Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

2009 Flinders University City Gallery, Adelaide, SA, Australia.

Desert Mob - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Bush Dolls from the Heart - Outstation Gallery, Darwin, NT, Australia.

Object Gallery, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

2004-2009 Yarrenyty Arltere Open Night - Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

2008 Desert Mob - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

2004- 2008 Batchelor Institute Art Show, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Dulcie SHARPE

Beautiful Long Bird Soft Sculpture 86 x 21 x 15cm 219-15

These lovely long birds are very beautiful and tall.

Dulcie SHARPE

Long Bird Soft Sculpture 85 x 23 x 14cm 270-15

These lovely long birds are very beautiful and tall.

Dulcie SHARPE

Figure with Two Birds Soft Sculpture 63 x 43 x 12cm 272-15

Many of Dulcie’s ideas for sewing involved birds and people, so she decided to sew them together this time.

Dulcie SHARPE

Green Bird with Baby Soft Sculpture 39 x 25 x 6cm 220-15

With green stitching, the mother and child pair can move through the bush disguised.

Dulcie SHARPE

Mother with Baby Soft Sculpture 39 x 23 x 4cm 269-15

By sitting on the mother’s back, the baby bird is safe from predators.

Dulcie SHARPE

Bird Soft Sculpture 42 x 19 x 4cm 223-15

The patterns on the bird all come from Dulcie’s head.

Dulcie SHARPE

Beautiful Bird Soft Sculpture 33 x 19 x 10cm 266-15

Rhonda SHARPE

Birth Date Language Place of Birth Skin/Clan

8 January 1977 Luritja Alice Springs Napurrula

Rhonda Sharpe was born and grew up in Alice Springs. She lived at Trucking Yards and went to Yipirinya School.

Rhonda discovered an interest and passion for making soft sculptures and print making when she followed her aunt into the art room one day.

Rhonda’s work is inspired by what she experiences in her daily life, by watching the other artists in the art room and by remembering stories from when she was young.

Rhonda has found that the art room gives her a place to be safe and to make a better future for herself. Sewing makes her feel happy and that she is proud of the work she creates. As Rhonda’s confidence as an artist grows, so too does her subject matter.

From her beautiful delicate stitched birds to her thoughtful whimsical alien figures embellished not only with wool and cotton, but also with feathers, metal and beads, Rhonda’s sculptures tell stories that weave together the here and now, the past and the ever hopeful future.

Collections Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW), Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT), Darwin, NT, Australia.

Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Maitland Regional Art Gallery (MRAG), Maitland, NSW, Australia.

Flinders University Art Museum (FUAM), Adelaide, SA, Australia.

Harriett & Richard England Collection, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Awards 2015 Winner – 3D Category - 32nd National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT), Darwin, NT, Australia.

2013 Winner – 3D Category - 30th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT), Darwin, NT, Australia.

2012 Finalist, Highly Commended - 29th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT), Darwin, NT, Australia.

Selected Group Exhibitions 2016 From our heads and our hands: stories told with colour - ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore.

2015 TARNANTHI Festival of Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia.

Selfies Exhibition - Tangentyere Gallery, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Desert Mob - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Making art, making life - Aboriginal & Pacific Art Sydney, NSW, Australia.

We are in Wonder LAND: New Experimental Art from Central Australia University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Tjulpu - Talapi Gallery, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

2014 Figuratively Speaking: Town Camp artists tell their stories, Aboriginal & Pacific Art Sydney, NSW, Australia.

We Just Keep On Travelling Further - ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore Desert Mob - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

This Belongs To Us, But We Did It For You - Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

2013 Desert Mob - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

With Our Healing Hands - Aboriginal and Pacific Art, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Our Way, Their Way - RAFT Gallery, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Good People, Strong People Made This Art - Gallery Nomad, Darwin, NT, Australia.

2012 Small Works - Outstation Gallery, Darwin, NT, Australia.

With Our Hands We Tell Our Stories Our Way - Aboriginal and Pacific Art, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

2012 Desert Mob - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair - Darwin, NT, Australia.

Yarrenyty Arltere Open Night - Yarrenyty Arltere Learning Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Melbourne Affordable Art Fair - Tapir Studio, Hobart, TAS, Australia.

Bush Animals - Gallery Nomad, Canberra, ACT, Australia.

Owl Exhibition - Tali Gallery, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Creatures - Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

Listen: Tangentyere and Yarrenyty Arltere Stories - Merenda Gallery, Perth, WA, Australia.

Healing Larapinta - Mossenson Gallery, Perth, WA, Australia.

2011 Soft Sculptures - Tali Gallery, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Desert Mob - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Yarrenyty Arltere Open Night - Yarrenyty Arltere Learning Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Soft Sculptures - Chapman Gallery, Canberra, ACT, Australia.

Outback Prints - Handmark Gallery, Hobart, TAS, Australia.

Yarrenyty Arltere Birds - Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

Faces of Larapinta - Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Melbourne Affordable Art Fair - Tapir Studio, Hobart, TAS, Australia.

2010 Imprints from our Centre - Aboriginal and PaciďŹ c Art, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Art from the Heart of Town Camps - Outstation Gallery, Darwin, NT, Australia.

Yarrenyty Arltere Open Night - Yarrenyty Arltere Learning Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Desert Links - Chapman Gallery, Canberra, ACT, Australia.

2009 Flinders University City Gallery, Adelaide, SA, Australia.

Rhonda SHARPE

Beautiful Bird with Wings Soft Sculpture 45 x 39 x 7cm 256-15

Rhonda SHARPE

Bird Wings and Beak Soft Sculpture 38 x 25 x 6cm 259-15

Rhonda likes this bird as it resembles the birds she has seen in cartoons.

Rhonda SHARPE

Two Headed Bird Soft Sculpture 19 x 15 x 5cm 258-15

Sometimes Rhonda has many thoughts in her head, like this little bird that is unable to decide if she should y into her nest to feed her babies or go y over the mountains.

Valerie STAFFORD

Birth Date Language Place of Birth

1 July 1963 Anmatjerre Coniston Station

Valerie Stafford was born at Coniston Station, north west of Alice Springs. Her father was a stockman for a very long time. The family moved to Mt. Allan after it ceased its operations as a working station, so that Valerie could go to school. Valerie raised her children at Mt. Allan, but she had them all in Alice Springs.

Valerie now resides at Larapinta Valley Town Camp so that she can be near her children and grandchildren. Valerie says that even though she has much pain in her legs, she cannot just sit at home; she comes to the art room to sew so that she can have a rest and be with all the other artists.

Selected Group Exhibition 2016 From our heads and our hands: stories told with colour - ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore.

Outsider Art Fair, New York, USA (with Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery).

2015 TARNANTHI Festival of Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia.

Selfies Exhibition - Tangentyere Gallery, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Desert Mob - Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.

Making art, making life Aboriginal and Pacific Art Sydney 2014 Figuratively Speaking: Town Camp artists tell their stories, Aboriginal & Pacific Art Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Valerie STAFFORD

Long Pink Bird Soft Sculpture 25 x 50 x 6cm 262-15

Valerie STAFFORD

Bird Soft Sculpture 44 x 20 x 7cm 260-15

Visit to Larapinta Valley Town Camp in Alice Springs

Rosabella Ryder Working on her Soft Sculpture (255-15)

Amazing Creations Waiting to be Shipped to Singapore

Larapinta Ladies Working Hard for their Singapore Exhibi hands: stories told with colour

Stunning Big Bird Crafted by Marlene Rubuntja (227-15)

Source: Š Photos Courtesy of ReDot Fine Art Gallery

tion - From our heads and our

Final Installation – From our heads and our hands: stories tol

Source: Š Photos Courtesy of ReDot Fine Art Gallery

ld with colour

In conjunction with

In collaboration with

REDOT FINE ART GALLERY Old Hill Street Police Station 140 Hill Street, #01-08 Singapore 179369 +65 6222 1039 • info@redotgallery.com

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Drive in entrance along River Valley Road

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Clarke Quay MRT station is located along Eu Tong Sen Street

Old Hill Street Police Station 140 Hill Street, #01-08 Singapore 179369

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• Clarke Quay • Funan DigitaLife Mall • High Street Centre • The Central

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