Judy Watson Napangardi c. 1925-2016

Judy Watson Napangardi was born at Yarungkanji - on Mt Doreen Station - in the Northern Territory, some 320km north-west of Mparntwe (Alice Springs). Judy took to painting in the 1980s, learning from her sister, Maggie Watson Napangardi. The two sisters were inseperable and worked together, painting for many years at Yuendumu for the Aboriginal-owned arts centre, Warlukurlangu Artists.

Like many Aboriginal people of the Central and Western Desert regions, Judy lived a traditional and nomadic life in her early years. She travelled many times to Mina Mina and Yingipurlangu, her ancestral country, on the border of the Tanami and Gibson Deserts. Judy was known for her abstract rendering of women’s Dreaming stories, incorporating aspects of ceremony and body paint designs and sacred sites such as Mina Mina. Her style is characterised by a dragged dotting style, creating sinuous lines that evoke the movements of ritual dance and ceremony by female ancestors. Her designs are also connected to a number of significant Warlpiri Dreaming stories such as Kanakurlangu (Digging Stick) and Ngalyipi (Snake Vine Dreaming). Her designs are known for their vitality - her vibrant, bold colour palettes, textured canvases indicate a sophisticated spiritual narrative and the depth of cultural seniority.

Judy Watson’s paintings have been exhibited since 1990 and she has an impressive exhibition record that spans more than three decades. Judy is a highly collectable artist, represented in major national and state galleries including the National Gallery of Australia.