Tangentyere Artists

Nyinta Donald was born at Blooded Bore/Angas Downs Station, NT in 1946, and currently resides in Mparntwe/Alice Springs. Her figurative paintings depict the transition of the ‘old days’, ‘in-between days’ and ‘new days’ of her Country, Kaltukatjara/Docker River, NT. A firsthand documentation of her community’s lived experience pre and post European arrival in Central Australia. Donald also paints stories informed by her spiritual beliefs, exploring the intertwining of Indigenous spirituality with her upbringing on the Areyonga Lutheran Mission. She joined Tangentyere Artists in 2016, previously painting with the former Ngurratjuta Art Centre, and remains an active member of the Central Australian Women’s Choir. Her work is held by the Art Gallery of South Australia, Artbank and in the Slattery Collection. She was winner of the Stories Prize in the Advocate Art Award (2021), highly commended in the Macquarie Emerging Artist Prize (2019), and finalist in the Vincent Lingiari Art Award (2021) and Blake Prize for Religious Art (2018).

Marjorie Williams Nungarrayi, known by close relations as ‘Nunga’, was born in Mparntwe (Alice Springs) in 1953. She is a senior Western Arrarnta Woman, who remains heavily involved and respected in the community. Since joining Tangentyere Artists in 2017, Nunga has developed a sought after style of figurative landscape painting, depicting memories of her early years on Country. She spent this time between Iwupataka (Jay Creek) and Ntaria (Hermannsburg), as well as frequently visiting Tempe Downs, her mother’s Country. Nunga cleverly uses vibrant colours and exaggerated proportions to make apparent the hive of activity present in these places. Soaring eagles, goannas, echidnas and horses are brought to the forefront of her expansive landscapes, “it’s their Country, all the animal’s Country and they live there.” Nunga is a proud grandmother, language teacher and member of the Central Australian Women’s choir, travelling internationally to perform. Nunga was a finalist in the National Capital Art Prize (2021) and Advocate Art Award (2021), recipient of a Magabala Books development scholarship (2021) and in 2019 was invited to an artist residency program at Mulgara Gallery, Voyages, Yulara.

Kumanjayi (Joanne) Napangardi Wheeler was the great grand daughter of Albert Namitjira through her mother Betty Ebatarinja. KW’s father, Marcus Wheeler is a Lutheran minister of renown. The Wheeler family are all talented artists. KW was born in Hermannsburg, Ntaria where her parents moved before she was born. Throughout her life, KW retained strong links to Anmatyerr and Luritja Country and family, moving around constantly to fulfil cultural and family obligations. KW loved to paint bush tucker and small game like goanna, perentie, and snakes, as well as the Dancing Women Tjukurrpa that travels across from the west. KW painted figurative and non-figurative works, Tjukurrpa and personal history narratives in a way that captured the imagination. KW was a finalist in the 2023 Telstra NATSIAA awards and sadly passed away in September 2023. KW gave permission for her image to continue to be used.

Tamika Williams is a Western Arrernte and Luritja woman from Alice Springs, Central Australia. She comes from a long line of painters in her family – her grandmother, aunty, and cousin are all artists as well as many of her extended family members. Tamika has been working as a Gallery Assistant at Tangentyere Artists since 2022. Speaking of her time at the Art Centre so far, she says “I have learned so much about art in my time being at Tangentyere Artists, not only just about the art itself but also about what goes on behind the scenes of the art that’s being made.” During her days off she loves to spend time with her family.

Born in Alice Springs, Ingrid is the granddaughter of established artist Marjorie Williams. Under her guidance, Ingrid began painting at Tangentyere Artists in 2021. Since that time, Ingrid has grown her practice to include painting, ceramics and jewellery. Ingrid likes to paint figurative works that tell stories about Hermannsburg, the community where her mother was born. Within a year of working at the Tangentyere Artists studio, Ingrid began to translate these stories to clay. Her ceramic depiction of cars on their way to a footy match was exhibited at Desert Mob 2023 and acquired by Artbank on the opening night. Ingrid was also selected as a finalist in the National Emerging Art Prize (Michael Reid, Sydney) for her 12-piece ceramic work, Hermannsburg (Ntaria) which featured clouds, houses and cars in a dynamic scene made from clay.

Daughter of Tangentyere Artists’ Marjorie Williams and mother of Ingrid Williams, Coralie has painted for many years. Born at Hermannsburg, Coralie grew up with her parents and siblings. She worked as a receptionist for the local Ntaria Council and also undertook training in various administrative and finance roles such as payroll. In 2004 Coralie moved with family to Alice Springs. She grew up dot painting with her mum and also taught her kids. While in Alice Springs, Coralie was the Luritja language teacher at Yeperenye School. She finally left in 2023 and joined her mother and daughter in Tangentyere Artists’ studio. Her figurative works about the various aspects of her life have been warmly received by visitors to the art gallery.

Sally M Nangala Mulda was born in Titjikala in 1957, and currently resides in Abbott’s Town Camp by the Todd River in Mparntwe (Alice Springs). Her figurative paintings of bold fluid movement, layering of colours and cursive descriptive text candidly depict lived experiences within this camp. She lays bare her reality, cataloguing domestic scenes; cooking damper and talking story, alongside insights into life since the 2007 Northern Territory Intervention; police pouring out grog and people camping in the riverbed. Mulda paints her stories with personal and political honesty. She had never painted prior to joining Tangentyere Artists in 2008 and has since been a finalist in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAAs), the Archibald Prize and the Sir John Sulman Prize across multiple years. Her work has been acquired by several institutions and private collections internationally.

Nadine Moseley is a much loved staff member at Tangentyere Artists. She has been working in the studio alongside Town Camp Artists since 2016. Nadine supports the artists each day, transporting them to and from work, preparing materials and creating a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone to come to.