Shirley Purdie |
 Winner of 2007 Blake Prize for Religious Art Shirley is undoubtedly one of the hardest working, most professional contemporary ochre artists and certainly one of the most talented. Born on Mabel Downs Station, she grew up there whilst her mother Madigan Thomas was working alongside the stockmen. Like her mother, Shirley is a great organiser, strong lady and well respected Law and Culture Woman amongst her Kitja people. She has recently relocated from Warmun Community and now resides at Norton Bore Community, of which she and her husband Gordon Barney (a senior painter in his own right and former stockman - see picture below) are Chairpersons. Shirley worked when old enough at Mabel Downs, Texas Downs and Alice Downs in the station homesteads (as she says, No, I didnt ride horses like Mum!). She then settled at Warmun and worked at the Post Office for many years. She has six children and many grandchildren, Shirley looks after not only her grandchildren but relatives little ones and is fastidious about the proper rearing of children and the teaching of youngsters both in traditional culture and modern schooling. When Shirley shops for her family, she practically cleans out the supermarket shelves! It is amazing that she could possibly find time to paint, but she certainly does. Shirley has a style all of her own, her ability to blend superb ochre colours is renowned, particularly the pale blues she uses, and doesnt mind sharing her techniques with not only the younger artists but also established artists, she is a very generous lady. The stories of her paintings in the main derive from those Madigan has told her, and her uncle, the late Jack Britten. Shirley has participated in many exhibitions since 1994 in every capital city in Australia, as well as in London and Germany. Her artworks are valued and included in high profile collections such as the Kerry Stokes Collection and Universities throughout the Country. AWARDS 2007 - Winner, Blake Prize for Religious Art 1999 - Special Mention, East Kimberley Art Award SELECTED EXHIBITIONS 1994 - Artists of the East Kimberley Exhibition, Canberra - Maintaining Family Tradition, Adelaide Festival Centre, Adelaide - National Aboriginal Art Award, Australian Heritage Commission, Old Parliament House, Canberra 1995 - Savode Gallery, Brisbane 1998 - Span Gallery, Melbourne 1999 - Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne - Chamber of Commerce, Wuerzburg, Germany - Karen Brown Gallery, Darwin - East Kimberley Art Awards, Kununurra - Japingka Gallery, Fremantle, Perth - Hogarth Galleries, Paddington, Sydney - Art of the Aborigines, Gallery Baehr, Germany 2000 - Anthropological Museum, Freiburg, Germany - Gallery Australis, Adelaide - Ben Grady Gallery, Canberra - Bett Gallery Hobart, Tasmania - Commonwealth Institute, London, U.K. - The Art of Place, National Indigenous Heritage Art Award, Canberra - State of My Country, Hogarth Galleries, Paddington, Sydney - Michael Carr Gallery, Sydney - Hogarth Galleries, Paddington 2001 - Past Modern, Short Street, Gallery, Australia Square, Sydney - Four Warmun Ngarliwarrin (Women), Artplace, Perth 2002 - Aboriginal Art, Gallery Baehr, Speyer, Germany - Shirley Purdie and Gordon Barney, Framed Gallery, Darwin - Garmerrun: All Our Country, Flinders University Art Museum, Adelaide 2003 - University Art Museum, Adelaide - 20th National ATSIC Art Award, Darwin - Recent Works in Ochre by Warmun, Framed Gallery, Darwin - The World Luxury Cruise Ship, Australasis (with Thornquest Gallery, Southport) 2005 - New Work from Warmun, Gadfly Gallery, Perth - 20th Telstra (NATSIAA) Art Award, Darwin 2006 - Warmun Art Centre Presents, Mary Place Gallery, Sydney - What Bird Is That?, Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne 2007 - Ralph Pucci International Gallery, New York (in association with Cross Cultural Art Exchange, Darwin) - Back To The Board, Coo-ee Gallery, Sydney COLLECTIONS - Artbank, Sydney - Commonwealth Institute Collection, London - Edith Cowan University Art Collection, Perth - Harvey Wagner Collection, USA - Kerry Stokes Collection, Perth - Northern Territory University, Darwin |
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
One of the unique skills Artists from the Kimberely region possess is the ability to mix the natural ochre pigments to create truly spectacular colours, shadings and effects that give ochre artworks a uniqueness unseen in any other style of art anywhere in the world.
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Customer Testimonials
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I wanted to send on an enormous thank you to your family and its business.
I picked up the painting today from the framers, it is absolutely mesmerising.
Thanks for making the purchase of this beautiful artwork possible.
All the best to you, I hope your business prospers and thrives.
Should we consider another purchase in the coming years we will look you up,
and you will be highly recommended to anyone else we know who is interested in Aboriginal art.
Nyree, VIC
I received Deanne Peters's work today in the post.
This is the first ever piece of art that I have bought let alone through the Internet.
I love it. I appreciated the opportunity to buy a piece that I work afford within my
budget and I think it is a great idea to produce smaller pieces.
Now I just have to start saving for another.
Amanda, Ireland
Thanks so much. Ms Peter's work is absolutely beautiful.
I must stop looking at the website.
I'll run out of wall space!
Louise, ACT
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paintings, and will let you know when they arrive.
Thanks so much for the kind friendly manner in which you have been with me,
I appreciate that.
Karen, UK
Thank you so much. I’m looking forward to receive Helen’s Water Dreaming.
I like the drawing and the colours a lot. Christopher Churchill’s Desert Nights is my favourite picture.
Often I pass by, have a look at it and smile. It is a very special picture for me.
Ursula, Switzerland
Just wanted to let you know I received my lovely painting.
Please pass on my thanks to Jeannie.
It's absolutely beautiful!
Lindy, VIC
Paintings arrived on Wednesday and they are great!
Thanks for your help.
Nathan, Canada
The two Alan Griffiths paintings arrived safely today.
So well packed. Thank you for dispatching them so punctually.
We are thrilled with them and currently debating wall alternatives.
Axel, NSW
My picture arrived this morning!!
It is quite wonderful.
Thank you so much for sending it.
Missing your red earth and sun.
Jill, UK
This is to let you know that the two
paintings by Churchill Cann and
Charlene Carrington arrived home safely
and in good condition.
They look beautiful on our walls.
Should you happen to see Churchill and
Charlene we would be very grateful if
you would thank them and let them know
how much we admire and respect their work.
Bill and Margo, ACT
The artworks have arrived.
All pieces are just beautiful.
Thank you very much.
Meg, UK
We recently purchased “Wild
Passionfruit and Tomato” by Margaret
Davis Kemarre during our visit to
your gallery in Kununurra. It was
delivered to our home in Sydney
last week. We just wanted to let you
know it had arrived safely and that
we are very happy with our purchase.
Thank you for your assistance.
Philip and Elizabeth, NSW
Just wanted to let you know that I've
received my art piece.I'm thrilled.
I appreciate the photo of Cindy & bio.
It makes it much more personal....
It's like I've met Cindy.
Give her my thanks and her willingness
to share her talent and vision.
Walt, USA
I've been meaning to send you a note to say thank you and we're very happy.
The painting arrived quickly and it's up on the wall and looks great.
Cathy, NSW
Just to let you know the artwork was well received today,
and I am very pleased with it.
Thanks again for your excellent service.
Lene, Denmark
The most beautiful Kudditji painting has arrived this morning, it is so magnificent.
It took my breath away!! Thank you very much.
Karen, NSW
I received my beautiful Bush Leaves canvas by Jeannie Petyarre last week.
I bought it on a very rushed visit to Kununurra enroute from Warmun to Darwin.
The minute I saw it I knew it was what I had been looking for.
It is at the framers now for stretching onto a frame. I can not wait to hang it in my home.
Thank you so much for getting it to me in such good condition.
I'm so glad I popped into your gallery for what I said would be a "quick walk through.
Luckily my friend in Warmun had said "make sure you go to Artlandish".
Having had the opportunity to spend time in an indigenous community
I feel blessed to have such a beautiful artwork.
Please place me on your mailing list.
Best wishes
Sue
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