During a period as artists-in-residence at the National Museum of Australia's Songlines: Tracking Seven Sisters exhibition, several Red Desert Indigenous artists have been providing visitors with a glimpse into their world, art styles and techniques.
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Martumili Artists was established in 2006 as an artist-run art centre to create art spaces and studios in seven Indigenous communities. It enabled traditional people to create meaningful works of art including baskets and paintings while living on country.
Operated from a central office in Newman in the Pilbara area of Western Australia, it was established by traditional owners and their families from Karlamilyi (Rudall River) and the Great Sandy, Little Sandy and Gibson Desert areas of Western Australia.
Judith Samson, 29, said she had been an art worker with Martumili for the past five years, cataloguing works and selling paintings, among other duties.
She was also a painter, having begun with her grandmother when she was a young girl.
"I paint my country in Jigalong and Puntawarrie," she said.
She was last in Canberra for Yiwarra Kuju: The Canning Stock Route exhibition at the National Museum exhibition several years ago. It featured her work and is now touring Japan.
Nola Taylor, 61, said she was a weaver, painstakingly making baskets out of grass.
"It can take a couple of months if you're making a big basket," she said.
She also made wall hangings and was an an oil painter. She had been a regular visitor to Canberra since the 1980s with her art.
Ruth Leigh, a field officer with Martumili Artists, said the organisation had a core group of about 140 artists and since its establishment had worked with about 1000, enabling them to create their art on country and in the studios in Newman and sell it.
Craft demonstrations (free with Songlines: Tracking Seven Sisters admission) at the National Museum of Australia will be held on Friday from 10.30am to noon and 1.30pm to 3pm. Weaving workshops will be held on Saturday at 10.30am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 3.30pm, cost $65/$55. More information and bookings: nma.gov.au.
