TJUNGURINGKULA WAAKARIPAI- THE ULTIMATE ABORIGINAL PEN ART COLLECTION
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
Tjunguringkula Waakaripai means "working together".
ARTIST COLLABORATION
Dr Sean George has collaborated with Tina Carmody- Elliott to bring a unique world first Aboriginal hand painted Pen Collection. Tina belongs to the Pitjantjatjara and Wudjuri Nyungar language group. None of this would have been possible without the help of Monika Dvorak who is the Curator of Bush Blossom Gallery, Kalgoorlie Western Australia. Monika brought Sean and Tina together for this unique project of working together hence the title of this project!
WHO IS TINA?
Tina is Anangu, Spinifex (Great Victorian Desert) and traditional owner for Upurli Upurli Nguratja (Cundelee) and Kepa Kurl (Esperance). Her connection to the community is through Country – Song/Travel Lines and Family.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Tina has a saying to describe herself: “I was born with a treble clef in one hand and a paint brush in my other.” Raised in an artistic household in performing and visual arts, Tina is a classically trained musician who plays the piano and violin, and she began painting at a very young age. Over the years Tina has developed her own unique methods which include wood burning and resin. She incorporates traditional designs using modern mediums. Tina is an award-winning artist and has won the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder Art prize twice. She has exhibited in a number of exhibitions, including John Curtin Gallery and currently has an artwork touring the State in the Alternative Archives Exhibition. Tina was recently chosen to exhibit an artwork at the John Curtin Gallery for the Closed Borders Exhibition.
INSPIRATION BEHIND TINA'S DESIGNS
Tina’s designs are inspired from her childhood lessons from her Anangu/Spinifex father and her Kepa Kurl Nyungar mother. Tina finds inspiration in the Seven Sisters Tjukurrpa (Creation Story) and how the sisters demonstrated the close bonds of womanhood. She is also inspired by childhood family trips out bush gathering tjala (honey ants), maku (bardi grubs), and mai (bush vegetables, fruits, and seeds).
DESIGN THEMES
