Carolina Solvèra is a contemporary artist known for her radiant depictions of tropical flora and dreamlike horizons. Blending bold color fields with layered botanical forms, her work captures the emotional warmth of distant climates rather than their literal geography. Inspired by travels through coastal regions, lush island ecosystems, and the shifting light of sunset skies, Solvèra transforms exotic landscapes into vibrant, almost architectural compositions. Her paintings explore the relationship between nature and memory, using saturated corals, deep emeralds, and luminous golds to evoke both serenity and vitality.

Julie Amlin est une artiste et muraliste basée à Toronto qui vise à se débarrasser de la poussière de la prévisibilité et à créer une invitation au plaisir et à la réflexion dans son travail. Elle espère éveiller notre enfant intérieur collectif et inspirer une expérience renouvelée d’exploration par la curiosité et la joie intentionnelle.

Jenzahni Waina is an emerging artist from Mowanjum, a remote Aboriginal community in Western Australia. Her work reflects a deep connection to nature, culture, and storytelling. Introduced to textile design during a Milpali workshop, her intricate, leaf-inspired patterns honour the beauty of Country and her growing artistic voice.

Kirsty Burgu is the youngest daughter of Roger Burgu (dec), a well-known Ngarinyin elder and painter. Kirsty was born at Mowanjum near Derby in the West Kimberley of Western Australia, where she has lived most of her life, except for time spent in study. She is a deep-thinking artist who endeavours to pass-on a message through her work.

Kirsty remains engaged in the traditional stories told to her by her mother and father, and Uncle Jeffrey Burgu as a child.

Kirsty says: "I really like painting. Painting is how I share all the stories I've been told with the young ones. I remember when I was small, the electricity would go off early. We would fall asleep around the fire, we didn't have TV for entertainment. My dad would say: 'come I'" tell you story now,' so me and my brother would go and sit in his arms and listen until we fell asleep. The paintings I do now have the stories that Dad Mob told me. There are so many stories and they all have so much to teach us about life."

Kirsty is one of a new generation of painters at Mowanjum Art and Culture Centre who interpret the old stories in new ways.

Mowanjum Wandjina culture is a living culture and Kirsty uses a wide range of traditional and contemporary materials including ochre on bark, ochre and acrylic on canvas, ink on paper, and woodcut, lino, and silkscreen printing.

Language: Ngarinyin

Clan: Warrtngarlingorngor

Barbara's work is unique within the Art Centre. Her colour palette, defined shapes and decorative detailing, sees her work reveal a distinctive graphic look. Though contemporary in her approach, her work is always informed by the traditional stories learned from her elders as a child.

Barbara is the fourth child of nine children, and has lived in Derby and Mowanjum most of her life. Her mother is Brejalnga clan and her father is from the Warrtngarlingorngor clan and they are of the Ngarinyin language group. Barbara is related to the Morlumbun and Charles families from her mother's side, and the Nenowatt and Ngerdus families from her father's side. Further, Barbara has extended family in Mowanjum through marriage.

Sherika Phillipa Duckhole was born at Derby Regional Hospital. She is a Ngarinyin woman from the Brremarra Clan. She lived in the Kupungarri Community before she moved to the Mowanjum Community. She has three children.

Sherika is an artist and a traditional singer for cultural song, the Junba. She has been working as an Arts Worker since 2013 and was also a Media and Collection Trainee in the Archive of Mowanjum Arts. She has been an Arts Centre Director for Mowanjum Arts since 2020.

Philinka first began painting in 2005. She has been nurtured by Gabriella Dolby and Gordon Barunga (two of Mowanjum's most accomplished senior artists) and has always been surrounded by artists at work. Philinka has 8 children. Her early paintings show a strong sense of design with bold shapes and flat areas of colour. Philinka's bubbly personality and youthful exuberance add a delightful spark to the Mowamjum art studio.

Since 2024 Philinka is not only an artist for Mowanjum but also part of the arts worker team.

She participated in several workshops - ceramics, Fashion and Design workshop and print making.

Sarah grew up down the Gibb River road at Mt Elizabeth Station. She was raised by step-parents Matthew Martin, a well-respected elder in the Kimberleys, an important Junba singer with an important cultural role up and down the Kimberleys, and Margaret Mungulu, an important painter of Mowanjum Arts.

Sarah Bin Hitam started work in the Mowanjum Art and Culture Centre art gallery in mid-2013. She spent time with her gudja (grandmother - Gabriella Dolby) and Bubba (Grandfather - Gordon Barunga) and Mugga (great-grandmother - Pudja Barunga) - each a respected artists - and learned here her painting practice.

In 2014 Sarah was very proud to contribute to the catalogue, and accompany her Bubba to the open event of 'In the Saddle on the Wall' - a nationally touring exhibition developed by the KAA in collaboration with ABC Open.

She participated in several workshops - ceramics, Fashion and Design workshop and print making.

Sarah has three children and she teaches them their culture and how to express this through painting and Junba.

Carley est une artiste éblouissante qui habite sur la Sunshine Coast et travaille depuis son confortable studio. C'est une pro de l'acrylique et adore créer de grandes œuvres audacieuses sur toile. Avec une approche insouciante, imaginative et instinctive, les visions artistiques de Carley occupent une place centrale.

Thomas Heinz is a German-born designer, illustrator, and animator known for his abstract, minimalist, and delightfully quirky style. His work spans digital design, animation, and illustration, all infused with warmth and playful patterns that bring a smile to your face. His unique creations have been featured in major publications like The New York Times, where his vibrant art adds a splash of colour and joy to the pages. Heinz's work isn’t just seen—it’s experienced, with a wink to the playful side of life.

Bayley Mifsud is a proud descendent of Peek and Kirrae Whurrong clans of the Maar nation, from South-West Victoria (Warrnambool). Her Aboriginal name Merindah-Gunya, means ‘Beautiful Spirit’.

“Mer-rin-dah Gun-yah”

"Practicing and sharing my culture through art and storytelling is very important to me, my family and community.

It continues a practice that our community has been sharing for over two centuries now. My hope is that it will continue to be shared for many centuries to come.

By purchasing my artwork, you too will become a part of the continuing story of an ancient tradition and progressing reconciliation."

L'artiste canadienne Susannah Bleasby se retrouve généralement couverte de peinture, pinceau à la main, contemplant la toile devant elle. Elle a consacré sa vie à explorer et à exprimer ses émotions et son imagination à travers la couleur et les coups de pinceau. Avec une formation en animation classique, en illustration et en peinture, l'art de Susannah a longtemps été immergé dans un monde de couleurs joyeuses et de narration ludique. Ses abstraits audacieux et ses paysages aériens se sont développés parallèlement à des années de concentration sur les peintures murales d'hôpitaux et la conception de tissus pour enfants et sont désormais le point central de sa pratique en studio. Elle met tout son cœur dans son travail avec une passion évidente dans son style caractéristique et sa production prolifique. Son travail est exposé dans des collections privées du monde entier. Qu'elles soient abstraites ou paysagères, ses peintures sont imprégnées d'émerveillement, d'émotion et de toutes les couleurs de la vie elle-même.

Ian was born in Derby in 1974. He grew up in Mowanjum, and was three years old when they moved from the old Mowanjum site to where the community stands today. He went to school in Queensland, but then came home to Derby to see family and stayed in the Kimberley ever since. Ian learnt to carve pearl shells about 20 years ago from Peter Croll who worked at the art centre and organised Mowanjum Festival every year. While he paints and makes prints as well, he prefers pearl shell carving to other media.
Polishing pearl shells is a Worrorra tradition, and the shells would be worn around the waist by men. However, the way Ian carves them is a new technique and art form, although he draws on old stories told to him by his grandmother for inspiration when making a new shell.