Louise Numina Napanangka

Louise Numina Napanangka is an Anmatyerre artist from Ti Tree, 190km North of Alice Springs in Central Australia. She grew up on Stirling Station, south of Tennant Creek. She learned to paint from her famous aunts, Gloria and Kathleen Petyarre, and from Minnie Pwerle.

Louise began painting in 1981 and later in 1995 moved to Darwin with her family. She shares her painting heritage with her five sisters – Lanita Numina, Jacinta, Caroline, Selina and Sharon Numina, all of whom are experienced artists. Louise draws on the ceremonies and stories from women’s law which have a shared theme – the role food gathering and the sourcing of bush medicine.

In her paintings, Louise pays homage to the spirit of the various bush tucker plants. The transformation of the land means new growth and regeneration, and so the renewal of bush tucker is important for survival. The brush strokes, in warm colours, overlap and weave to create a swaying effect in Louise’s medicine leaves, which are collected to treat various ailments and wounds. Louise has participated in several exhibitions at Japingka Gallery along with her sister artists.