Eva Napaltjarri Nelson

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Eva Napaltjarri Nelson began painting in 2003. Largely self-taught, Eva was introduced to art by her father (the late) Sonny Turner.

Born at Coniston Station in Central Australia, Eva Napaltjarri Nelson and her siblings spent much of their time exploring their country. Following the death of her mother, the children were raised from an early age by their father. They learnt to hunt and survive off the land. They also learnt the stories of their ancestors and the stories of their dreaming, passed down through their father as it had been for millennia.

It was through their father that Eva learnt the story of “Ngadajirri”- the budgerigar. This is her dreaming. Eva and her siblings were encouraged by their father to paint this dreaming as a means of reinforcing what they had learnt through oral teaching.

It has only been since 2007 that Eva has started to paint in earnest. She now sees it as a vital means of maintaining a connection to the past while ensuring that this story is kept alive for future generations. This art form is now an extremely important part of Eva Napaltjarri Nelson's life; it is her means of cultural maintenance.

Between 2007 and 2011, Eva concentrated on exploring artistic options and refining her technique. Her first solo exhibition in April 2011 celebrated four years of exploration and hard work as she pushed her boundaries of artistic expression.

'MONOCHROME' GROUP EXHIBITION (MAY 2022)