Anna Tilmouth Napangardi was born in 1950 in Utopia, Central Desert Australia, North-east of Alice Springs. Anna comes from a long line of famous artists, she is the daughter of June Bird and Johnny Tilmouth and the granddaughter to well-known Utopia artist Ada Bird Petyarre. And also Anna is the niece f one of Australia’s most prominent Aboriginal artists Emily Kame Kngwarreye.

When Anna was younger, she accompanied her grandmother on trips to Melbourne and she now shows a confidence in her own painting style, often experimenting with new designs and use of colours.

Anna paints several subjects including: Atnyerlenge (Native Fuchsia), Awelye (Women's Ceremony) and Imuna (Bush Food). The Atnyerlenge (Native fuchsia) plant is an important plant in her Country because of the sweet honey found in its flowers. The honey is usually sucked straight from the flower. The Atnyerlenge has beautiful red flowers and is found all over her country. In this painting she depicts the flowers of this plant and its seeds (dot work). Anna says, 'We boil the leaves in water and crush. Good bush medicine. Good for itches, cough, sores and headache. We use boiled water (it's green) for wash.'

Anna paints several subjects including: Atnyerlenge (Native Fuchsia), Awelye (Women's Ceremony) and Imuna (Bush Food). The Atnyerlenge (Native fuchsia) plant is an important plant in her Country because of the sweet honey found in its flowers. The honey is usually sucked straight from the flower. The Atnyerlenge has beautiful red flowers and is found all over her country. In this painting she depicts the flowers of this plant and its seeds (dot work). Anna says, 'We boil the leaves in water and crush. Good bush medicine. Good for itches, cough, sores and headache. We use boiled water (it's green) for wash.'

Anna Tilmouth Napangardi is influenced by Minimalism and Abstract Expressionism.

Anna paintings depict her father’s dreaming, where both the men and women collect the honey from the Mulga Tree for Women’s Ceremony and also the body paint for women’s ceremony.

The Dreamtime is the period in which life was created according to Aboriginal culture. Dreaming is the word used to explain how life came to be; it is the stories and beliefs behind creation. It is called different names in different Aboriginal languages, such as: Ngarranggarni, Tjukula Jukurrpa.

Born:  Anna Tilmouth Napangardi was born around 1950

Subject(s) Awelye (Women’s Ceremony and body paint designs), Ngulunga (plant), Bush Foods, Mulga Story Figures

Anna like many Utopian women, are able to showcase diversity in their dreaming. In Anna’s case, her dreamtime stories include, Travelling Women, Women’s Ceremony, Bush Seeds and Body Paint, all of which are significant to the creation of and the connection to the land. Anna’s works have been exhibited throughout Australia and the United States of America, but most notably, Anna’s work was selected for the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art prize in 1998.

Anna’s unique style of painting incorporates highly detailed dot work with contemporary illustrations, particularly women’s footsteps in her ‘Travelling Women’ dreaming. The colours used in Anna’s works perfectly complement each other as she uses a combination of earth tones set off with vibrant plums, pinks and yellows. 

AWARDS

Anna Tilmouth shows a strong confidence in her individual painting style, often experimenting with new designs and she has a great sense of colour. Anna says that the designs in her paintings are inspired by the Ngulunga plant. The Ngulunga has beautiful yellow flowers with thick bristles and is found near Anna’s home land in the Utopia region.

COLLECTIONS

Anna Tilmouth Napangardi work has been represented around the world including:

Art and Soul Gallery Nashville Tennessee USA

Cove Gallery Portland Oregon USA,

New City Merchants Knoxville Tennessee USA

Umpqua Bank Portland Oregon USA

 Portland Art Museum Portland Oregon USA

Mary's Woods Portland Oregon USA

Urban Wine Works Portland Oregon USA

and many private collections around Australia and worldwide

EXHIBITIONS

2000 Mbantua Gallery, Alice Springs NT

2002 Mbantua Gallery - Art and Soul Gallery Nashville Tennessee USA

2002 Mbantua Gallery - The Cove Gallery Portland Oregon USA (Benefit - OHSU Heart Research Centre)

2002 Mbantua Gallery - Mary's Woods Portland Oregon USA (Benefit – OHSU Heart Research Centre)

2003 Mbantua Gallery - New City Merchants Knoxville Tennessee USA

2003 Mbantua Gallery - Art and Soul Gallery Nashville Tennessee USA

2003 Mbantua Gallery - Art and Soul Gallery Nashville Tennessee USA (Benefit - OHSU Heart Research Centre)

2003 Mbantua Gallery - Contemporary Aboriginal Art Event, Umpqua Bank Portland Oregon USA (Benefit - OHSU Heart Research Centre)

2003 Mbantua Gallery - Mary's Woods Portland Oregon USA (Benefit - OHSU Heart Research Centre)

2003 Mbantua Gallery - Art From The Dreamtime, Portland Art Museum Portland Oregon USA (Benefit - OHSU Heart Research Centre)

Anna comes from a long line of famous artists, mother June Bird father Johnny Tilmouth she is a granddaughter of artist Ada Bird Petyarre (1930-2009). Emily Kngwarreye (1910-1996) is Anna's great-aunt. Living in a creative environment and influenced by her family heritage, Anna began painting early.

Anna’s dreamtime stories include, Travelling Women, Women’s Ceremony, Bush Seeds and Body Paint, all of which are significant to the creation of and the connection to the land.

Anna’s works have been exhibited throughout Australia and the United States of America, but most notably, Anna’s work was selected for the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art prize in 1998.

Anna’s unique style of painting incorporates highly detailed dot work with contemporary illustrations, particularly women’s footsteps in her ‘Travelling Women’ dreaming.

The colours used in Anna’s works perfectly complement each other as she uses a combination of earth tones set off with vibrant plums, pinks and yellows. 

Anna’s dreamtime stories include, Travelling Women, Women’s Ceremony, Bush Seeds and Body Paint, all of which are significant to the creation of and the connection to the land.

Anna’s works have been exhibited throughout Australia and the United States of America, but most notably, Anna’s work was selected for the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art prize in 1998.

Anna’s unique style of painting incorporates highly detailed dot work with contemporary illustrations, particularly women’s footsteps in her ‘Travelling Women’ dreaming.

The colours used in Anna’s works perfectly complement she uses a combination of earth tones set off with vibrant plums, pinks and yellows. 

The Dreamtime is the period in which life was created according to Aboriginal culture. Dreaming is the word used to explain how life came to be; it is the stories and beliefs behind creation. It is called different names in different Aboriginal languages, such as: Ngarranggarni, Tjukula Jukurrpa.

Source & FURTHER REFERENCES 

Aboriginal Artists of the Western Desert - A Biographical Dictionary" by Vivien Johnson, published by Craftsman House 1994