'Defying Convention' | Janelle Stockman Napaltjarri

29th April - 6th June 2020

Janelle Stockman Napaltjarri, an artist of growing renown, was on the verge of gaining international recognition when she was tragically killed in a car accident in 2009.

Janelle commenced painting in 2001, gaining inspiration from her paternal grandfather Billy Stockman, one of the original members of the early Papunya Tula artists. Her works were considered very contemporary in style, with her paintings an expression of herself and her creative process.  Her technique drew upon all of the elements used by artists she had watched painting as a child

Janelle gained her inspiration through the landscape of her homelands and the stories of cultural significance that were passed down to her.  It was this exposure and immersion into a variety of techniques and narratives that undoubtedly led Stockman to develop a style of painting that was uniquely her own.

She was innovative and experimental in her approach to art making and was happy to employ a trial and error approach to her practice. Like most of her peers she received no formal art training. Her knowledge of colour, composition and form was entirely self-taught.

Her work featured in exhibitions nationally and internationally and are represented in collections throughout Australia.