Untitled | AS-029

DOB: 1954

Birthplace: Narwietooma Station NT

Skin name: Napaltjarri

Language: Luritja/Warlpiri

Community: Papunya (300km N/W of Alice Springs)

Ada Andy Napaltjarri was born and grew up at Haasts Bluff, later moving to the newly established settlement of Papunya with her family.
Her country is Mt Wedge (Karrinyarra) and Iipilli, which links her to the Warumpi Mother and Daughter Dreaming, as well as the Water and Women’s Dancing Dreaming from Iipilli. She also paints Yalka (bush onion) Dreaming.

Ada learnt to paint by watching and assisting her family with painting. In the early 80s, Ada started painting at Papunya Tula, inspired by the growing artist movement during that time, where women in her community including Daisy Leura, Natalie Corby, Gladys Napanangka, and Ada’s mother, Entalura Nangala were some of the first women to become artists in their own right.

It was Ada’s husband Alistair, who encouraged her the most to paint. 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, 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, who was head teacher at Mt Allan, Lajamanu and Willowra.

Ada’s keen interest in painting has helped encourage other emerging artists to paint in these communities too.
Ada’s sisters Nora Andy Napaltjarri and Emily Andy Napaltjarri are also incredible artists.