Agnes Donnelly

Agnes Donnelly, skin name Napanangka, was born in 1951 at Yuendumu. Her family was transported by cattle truck to Lajamanu, 600 kilometres north, as part of the government welfare relocations in the mid 1950s, where her family has since remained.

As a young lady, Napanangka learnt from her mother and aunties the stories of her Jukurrpa (Dreaming) and skin group art, which she began to paint with ochre on people’s bodies for ceremony.

Napanangka completed a Traditional Painting course conducted in Lajamanu by TAFE in 1986, and became one of the pioneers of acrylic painting on canvas in the community.

As with all artists, her style has evolved over the years as she has explored different techniques to express her Jukurrpa. She is known for her use of a bright and bold colour palette, and has had great success with her traditional dot paintings, as well as more abstract contemporary work. Now a senior elder in the Lajamanu community, Napanangka has had her art exhibited around Australia as well as internationally, in France, Germany and Poland.

She is a senior Law lady in Lajamanu and a member of the Kurdiji (Law) group that works with the local law court.