Aboriginal artist - Sade Carrington

Sade was born Texas Downs 1957 – she is of the Kitja people. Sade was sent to school at Beagle Bay when she was four, then to Perth to complete her education. She worked in the homestead at Texas until 1980, when she joined her relatives at Warmun (Turkey Creek). Sade had married Churchill Cann, then head stockman at Texas and now an Internationally known Artist. They have three children, Dolorosa, Charlene and Glen – all artists.

Sade travelled extensively with her art, both throughout Australia and overseas. In l988 she was invited to present her painting to Duchess of Kent during her highness’ visit to Adelaide. Sade has exhibited in London and Holland, and was invited to stay for over a month at Galleries in Holland to demonstrate her technique in ochre painting. There she exhibited against artists in all mediums.

She has been described as “strong” in painting style – her early paintings centred on the Bungles (Purnululu). Her paintings reflect the Dreaming stories of the Kitja people of which she is very knowledgeable. Sade’s understanding of her country, her accurate knowledge of the distances between the places in this vast region, makes her paintings very credible. She also paints very delicate, flowing lines with symmetrical strokes and precise dotting in striking ochre colours. She is a total Professional and a great teacher of art to the younger painters.

Her fondest childhood memories are those of accompanying her father, Beerbee Mungnari, Henry Wambini and the late Jack Britten on their painting expeditions. In those days women and children were not taken along to the Bungles, but Jack would say “Let her come – she’s no trouble”. Or did he sense the talent?

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS :

1997

“Dreaming” Invitation Only Exhibition, Arnhem, Holland

”Women of the Desert” London U.K. Raintree Gallery, Darwin

ATSIC Telstra Awards, Darwin Museum & Art Gallery

1998

“Kids of Warmun” Tandanya Gallery Adelaide – Special Guest

1999

“World Heritage Exhibition, Canberra”

AWARDS :

1997 Third Prize ATSIC Telstra Awards Open

1999 Special Commendation, Canningvale WA

SADE – THE GIRL FROM TEXAS DOWNS TO ALL OVER THE WORLD