Roma Nyutjangka Butler

Roma Nyutjangka Butler was born in 1959 at Wilu rockhole, along the kanyala (euro) tjukurpa track, and belongs to the Pitjantjatjara people of the central Western Desert. She grew up at Ernabella mission in South Australia, and at the age of 12 she travelled back to her grandfather’s brother’s country at Irrunytju. She continues to live and work at Irrunytju, which is located on the border of South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Butler began painting in 2001, and initially painted very geometric imagery related to country. Butler now paints bold interpretations of tjukurpa (dreaming stories) related to women.

Lorraine Connelly-Northey

Lorraine Connelly-Northey is a Waradgerie woman, but was born and lives in Swan Hill, Victoria. Born in 1962, Connelly-Northey is of Aboriginal and Irish heritage. Her interest in the mixing of cultures and celebrating the traditional work of Aboriginal women as gatherers is evident in her work. Her practice involves the use of recycled materials to produce sculptural works that reflect a traditional Aboriginal lifestyle. The hunter�gatherer theme is central to Connelly-Northey�s practice, encompassing narrbongs (string bags), koolimans (bowls), digging sticks and possum-skin cloaks. She has exhibited in several group exhibitions since 2001, and just recently held her second solo exhibition in Melbourne.

Timothy Cook

Timothy Cook was born into the House Fly skin group of the Tiwi people in 1958 at Milikapiti, Melville Island, about 80 kilometres north of Darwin across the Dundas Strait. His murrakapupuni (country) is centred on Goose Creek. Cook is one of the leading practitioners amongst a group of younger-generation emerging Tiwi artists who are rapidly gaining acclaim. Cook continues the Tiwi tradition of jilamara (ceremonial) painting, and is recognised for his own distinctive style, which is broad and energetic. He has participated in several group exhibitions since 1997 and has held solo exhibitions in Sydney since 2002.

Nici Cumpston

Nici Cumpston was born in Adelaide in 1963 and is of Aboriginal, Afghan, Irish and British descent. She lives and works in Adelaide. In 2004 she graduated from the University of South Australia with a Bachelor of Visual Arts (Honours), and she currently lectures and mentors in photography at Tauondi Aboriginal Community College. Cumpston has exhibited in group shows since 1998, and in 2002 held her first solo exhibition at Tandanya (the National Aboriginal Cultural Institute) in Adelaide. Much of Cumpston�s work draws upon her upbringing in country Victoria and also responds to issues of Christianity and our surrounding environment from an Indigenous perspective.

Emily Evans

Emily Ngarnal Evans was born into the Lardil people in 1975 and has lived all her life on Gununa (Mornington Island) learning her culture and heritage. Evans was inspired to paint traditional stories and body painting designs during workshops held at the Mornington Island Arts and Crafts Centre in February 2005. Though the workshops were designed for senior men, Evans asked to participate so her father�s stories could continue. Her painting represents designs associated with the stories of balibal (spotted stingray), wurruku (brown shark) and ngarnal (sulphur-crested cockatoo). It is both a contemporary expression of her traditional beliefs, culture and country and a personal metaphor for her relationship with her revered father. Evans was selected for the 2005 Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award in Darwin, and has just recently started exhibiting in group exhibitions in Brisbane and Sydney.

Sally Gabori

Sally Gabori-Mirdidingkingathi Juwarnda is a senior woman of the Kaiadilt people from Bentinck Island. She was born around 1924 and lived a completely traditional life with little contact with white Australians. In the 1940s missionaries transported the entire Kaiadilt population from their traditional lands to Mornington Island. Throughout her life Gabori has been an accomplished producer of traditional hand and fibre crafts and has acquired a wealth of tribal law. Using brilliant colours and strong designs, her paintings relate to earth and country, food gathering and story places. Sally Gabori only began painting in April 2005. So far she has been included in two group exhibitions, and her first solo exhibition opened in Brisbane in December 2005.

Mignonette Jamin

Mignonette Jamin was born into the Nungala skin group of the Murrinh-Patha/Miriwoong people in the east Kimberley, Western Australia, in 1932. Her country is Madjalindy, and her dreamings include the black nose python and the king brown snake. Jamin moved to Kununurra when she was around ten years old, and continues to live and work there, where she is a well-respected law woman. She paints her traditional country as well as sites significant to women�s business. Jamin has only recently begun painting seriously, and in 2004 she held her first solo exhibition. Despite working strictly with ochres and natural pigments her palette is expansive, and an individual vibrancy and expressiveness are captured in her works.

Photograph: Derek Hendersen

Jonathan Jones

Jonathan Jones is an Indigenous artist belonging to the Kamilaroi/Wiradjuri people of New South Wales. Born in 1978, Jones currently lives and works in Sydney. He works in varied media, including printmaking, drawing, installation and film. In 2000�02 he was the curator at Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative in Sydney. Currently Jones is employed by the Art Gallery of New South Wales as Aboriginal Programs Coordinator, and he is also an exhibition curator. In his major installations the artist explores notions of community from a contemporary urban Indigenous perspective. In 2002 Jones was awarded the New South Wales Indigenous Arts Fellowship, and in 2003 he was included in �Primavera�, the annual exhibition for artists under 35, at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney.

Raelene Kerinauia

Raelene Kerinauia was born into the Sun skin group of the Tiwi people in 1962 at Milikapiti, Melville Island. Her country is Pickertaramoor and her dance is the crocodile. Like many Tiwi artists, Kerinauia started her practice as a printmaker. Raelene Kerinauia paints in a distinctive, highly structured and refined style which makes extensive use of the traditional Tiwi painting comb, known as kayimwagakimi or pwoja. She has been involved in several group exhibitions since 1991 and has had solo shows in 2004 and 2005.

Minnie Lumai

Minnie Lumai was born in 1940 into the Namij skin group of the Miriwoong people in Kununurra in the east Kimberley, Western Australia. Her country is Bubble Bubble and her dreamings include the butcher bird and the kingfisher. It was only recently that the artist began painting professionally, and since 2004 she has been involved in group exhibitions in Darwin, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. Lumai uses traditional materials in her paintings; with natural ochres and pigments on paper or canvas she paints of her traditional country and her dreaming stories.