Teresa Baker b. 1977

Teresa Baker was born in 1977 in Mparntwe (Alice Springs), and grew up just south of the Northern Territory border in Kanpi, a small community in the APY Lands. Teresa began painting in 2005 and has learnt her craft from the inestimable artist Jimmy Baker, her grandfather. Her mother, Kay Baker, and sister, Patricia Tunkin Baker, are also highly regarded and widely collected artists.

Jimmy Baker, Teresa’s grandfather, taught Teresa about the associated Tjukurrpa (Dreamings, stories) of her country, which she now depicts in her paintings. Teresa is continuing the tradition by teaching her daughters, Sophia and Clarise Tunkin, the stories and painting technique. Clarise is now a highly successful emerging artist, and Sophia is a quickly rising star. 

Teresa’s style is rich in colour and story, defining aspects of her physical and spiritual country. Like her mother before her, Teresa paints the story of Minyma Malilu, a spiritual ancestor, who travelled from the west to follow her daughters who ran away with the "wrong" man, according to complex Indigenous kinship systems. When she found them, she dug a cave nearby to live in, so she could keep watch over her daughters. Malilu's cave is situated very close to Kanpi community, and songs and ceremony are still performed there by the women, who believe strongly in the spiritual healing capacity of the cave.

Teresa is a highly recognised and outstanding artist, imbuing traditional story onto the canvas while achieving a very contemporary aesthetic. Teresa has been a finalist in the AGNSW Wynne Prize and her work is exhibited Internationally and nationally. Teresa’s paintings have been collected by major public and private collectors, institutions and galleries.