Linus Warlapinni

Skin: Wulinjuwula (Mosquito)
Country: Pitjimirra
Dance: Jarrikarlani (Turtle)

Linus Warlapinni worked with the Conservation Commission for many years in Parks and Wildlife. On his retirement from the Commission he became a plant operator with the Council, driving large machinery building and maintaining roads and airstrips on Melville Island. When he needed to spend more time caring for his family, he decided to draw on his family ties and so began painting for Jilamara Arts and Craft Association in 2002. Linus is the son of the late acclaimed Jilamara artist Freda Warlapinni (c 1928-2003) and like Freda came to painting later in life after a career elsewhere.

In his retirement years, Linus has become one of the art centre’s most exciting and prolific artists, attracting attention from collectors and gallerists. His unique style of painting draws heavily on the geometric designs of the Pukumani ceremony. These designs are derived from ceremonial shapes and patterns often referred to very generally as jilamara ¾ compositions of kurluwukari, pwanga and marlipinyini [circles, dots and lines] using turtiyanginari [locally sourced earth pigments] historically painted on the body, carved tutini poles and tunga [bark baskets] for Pukumani ceremony on the Tiwi Islands. Linus passed away in 2016.