Durrmu Arts

Regina Pilawuk Wilson is a Ngan’gikurunggurr woman. Her work is exhibited widely, and is housed in public and private collections both in Australia and internationally. She is regarded as one of Australia’s leading Indigenous artists, and is the founder of the Peppimenarti community – the permanent settlement for the Ngan’gikurrungurr people in the Daly River Region since 1973. The location of Peppimenarti is an important dreaming site for the Ngangikurrungurr language group and informs Regina’s art and weaving practices – skills she inherited from her grandmother and mother.

Annunciata Nunuk Wilson, a Ngan’gikurunggurr woman born c. 1970, is the eldest daughter of Regina Pilawuk Wilson, and an emerging artist at Durrmu Arts. Annunciata paints durrmu (body painting dot) designs in the traditional colours of weaving dyes: deep purples, ochres, black and red. More recently, Annunciata has developed her painting practice and has started experimenting with sun mat, basket stitch and merrepen leaf designs.

Anne-Carmel Nimbali Wilson was born 21 Feb 1983. She is a Ngan’gikurunggurr woman who lives and works in Peppimenarti with her husband and daughter. She is the youngest daughter of senior artist Regina Wilson.

Nimbali started painting in 2000, following in the footsteps of her Mother. Her work often depicts the durrmu designs (dot body painting) in a beautifully intricate, layered style using warm, dark colours. She also paints bush tucker scenes and weaving designs.

Nimbali is one of the many talented, emerging artists from Durrmu Arts.

“Nathon Ahwon- Wilson is the eldest son of matriarch and founder of Peppimenarti Regina Pilawuk Wilson’s eldest son. Nathon grew up at Peppimenarti and continues to make Peppimenarti his home with his wife and four daughters. When the time comes Nathon will be the tradition owner for Peppimenarti.

Nathon has played a pivotal role in the bark-harvesting project currently being undertaken. Leading and supporting many bush trips with his younger brothers, cousins and nephews “My grandfathers and uncles taught me everything about bark harvesting. They taught me you gotta get the bark during wet season while the bark is still a bit wet, as dry season equals dry wind and dries up the bark before the fire burning”.

Nathon paints didgeridoo designs & Durrmu, Nathon’s work ‘Olive Python and King Brown Snakes 2018’ are housed in the collection of the Embassy of Australia.”

Anastasia Naiya Wilson, a Ngan’gikurunggurr woman was born in 1974. She is Regina Pilawuk Wilson’s middle daughter and an emerging artist at Durrmu Arts. She currently works at the women’s safe house in Peppimenarti, which she has been working at since 2009. Anastasia has inherited her mother’s dingo dreaming and openly paints this subject using dark ochres and black and white. More recently, Anastasia has been developing her weaving designs on canvas.

Madeline Maloney is a Tyemirri woman from Peppimenarti and her ngeningetyi is on Ngengi’Wumerri country. Daughter of highly respected artist and elder P. Mafurra, Madeline grew up mostly in the Peppimenarti community and other times places around Peppi. She paints the moon dreaming ‘Deewin Kurim’ one of the main totems for the Tyemirri people of Peppimenarti, she depicts Deewin by painting in her own unique Durrmu designs and colours, her other dominant painting designs are ‘Durrmu’ Designs the body paint design we use for ceremonies.

The son of Grace Dodson and grandson of Annunciata Dartinga & Regina Pilawuk Wilson, Hayden is surrounded by artistic excellence. Hayden completed his year 12 studies in 2021 and now works full-time at the Art Centre, the future of Hayden’s artistic practice is exciting.

“My name is Hayden Jinjar Wilson, Im a Tyemirri man from Peppimenarti. My two main totems are the Water python which we call ‘Emira’ (Emire) in the Tyemirri language and Deewin which is the moon. I am named after the patriarch of my family, my grandfather Harry Jinjar Wilson. I come from a line of artists which include my grandmothers Regina Pilawuk Wilson and Annunciata Dartinga and also my Mother Grace Dodson. I like to paint what is significant to me and what has made an impact to who I am now as a person, these include the saltwater waves of my Kawu’s country, Ngudaniman where I spent the other half of my childhood growing up with my mother’s side of the family, I paint Deewin and Emire both totems that I feel connected to, the sand bubbler crabs which me and my cousins used to chase on the beaches of Ngudaniman, I’ve always admired the patterns they make on the beach with the small balls of sand which have now gave me the inspiration to interpret those designs into Durrmu (dot) paintings as a tribute to the crabs that made part of my childhood fun! I’ve also painted the didjeridoo which is also my grandmother’s totem. I paint both linear and Durrmu paintings because both types of painting contribute to how I perceive real life experiences and memories to be as paintings. The colour pallet I normally use consist of the different colours of the water, sky and environment also strong black and white colours to represent the spiritual world (dreaming).”

Leaya Smith Wilson is a contemporary weaver and painter who lives and works on her homeland of Peppimenarti. Born in 1996, Leaya’s colourful paintings and weavings pay homage to her proud connection to community and family. Leaya is the granddaughter of Regina Pilawuk Wilson and daughter of Nunuk Wilson, both celebrated artists from the community of Peppimenarti in the West Daly Region of the NT.