Untitled | AS-014

DOB: 1954

Birthplace: Narwietooma Station, NT

Language: Luritja / Warlpiri

Skin name: Napaltjarri

Community: Papunya, NT


Ada Andy Napaltjarri was born on Narwietooma Station and grew up at Haasts Bluff. Later her family moved to the newly established settlement of Papunya.
Her heritage country is Mt Wedge (Kerrinyarra) and Iipilli, which links her to the Warumpi Mother and Daughter Dreaming, as well as the Water and Women’s Dancing Dreaming from Iipilli. Ada also paints Yalka (Bush Onion) Dreaming.

Ada learnt to paint from watching or assisting male relatives. Ada’s father, Don Tjungarrayi and his younger brother, Bob Tjungarrayi, were both part of the new generation of painters who emerged at Papunya at the start of the 80’s.

In the early 80’s Ada started painting at Papunya Tula, inspired by the growing artist movement during the time where women in her community including; Daisy Leura, Natalie Corby, Gladys Napanangka, and Ada’s mother, Entalura Nangala were the first women to become artists in their own right. It was Ada’s husband Alistair, who encouraged her the most. He was a schoolteacher with a keen interest in the art movement and a conviction that women were being excluded from painting, he influenced her to paint independently of Papunya Tula Artists-one of the very first women in Papunya to do so around 1982.

Since then she has spent time living in several communities while her husband was head teacher at Mt Allan, Lajamanu and Willowra. Ada’s interest in painting was a factor in helping interest Aboriginal people in painting at these communities.

Her sisters Nora Andy Napaltjarri, now living in Alice Springs, and Emily Andy Napaltjarri, who still lives at Mt Allan, also paint.