Dulcie Sharpe

Dulcie Sharpe was born at Hamilton Downs in 1957. Her mother was from Papunya and she is a Luritja speaker. Sharpe went to school at Kwale Kwale and says her happiest memories are playing every day after school in the bush and swimming when there was water. It was Sharpe’s grandmother, Old Laddie, who taught her everything about culture: how to find honey ants, bush tucker, dancing, language.

Sharpe has been coming to the Yarrenyty Arltere Learning Centre since 2000 when she helped set it up as a place for her community to get well again from the chronic social issues it was facing. Sharpe wanted to create a safe place for the kids and for the adults to find new pathways into the future by holding on strongly to culture and learning together.

Sharpe says she loves sewing. She sews after work on the weekend and even in hospital. Sharpe has now started doing ink on paper, following her sister Mrs. T Inkamala with this medium. Her images on paper speak of her sculptures and are a beautiful transition from one skill to another. She is a respected elder of the community and a positive role model for other artists.