Aboriginal art dot painting, acrylic on canvas, by Sonder (sometimes spelled “Sonda”) Turner Nampitjinpa/Warlpiri. The Dreaming is a women's story. U-shapes represent women dancing around ceremonial poles. Berries that are used as food are shown around the painting.

Born in 1956, Sonder is the daughter of Paddy Tjangala. Taught to paint in the early ’80s by her father, Sonder was one of the first women painters in the Western Desert style to gain recognition for her work, winning the 1986 Canberra National Times Art Award.

Her paintings usually depict the Two Women Dancing story for Mt Liebig. A Warlpiri speaker, she moved to Darwin in 1986 and thence to Katherine. A Walpriri woman, Sonder Turner Nambitjinpa was born at Yuendumu, living there until the age of 4 when her family moved to the Papunya settlement.

Sonder started school when she turned 5. Her parents worked from 1959 to 1969 for milk, flour, sugar and tobacco. In the 70’s, Sonder’s family joined the migration to Papunya, where a teacher, Geoffrey Barden asked Sonder’s family to paint a building followed by painting on paper and board. Sonder saw her uncles Paddy Carroll Tjungurrayi and Two Bob Tjungurrayi selling their paintings in Papunya Tula Art Gallery.

“I started painting after watching my uncle and my uncle told me this is how you’ve got to paint it. You’ve got to paint your grandfather’s Dreaming and your grandmother’s Dreaming and don’t copy other people’s painting or other people’s Dreaming. You get in big trouble.”

Sonder moved to Darwin in 1978 to start a new life being only 16 years old. where she met her husband. who she married in 1994. Sonder regularly returns to her home country and Alice Springs, as do many clan elders.
#AGKC89 48" x 28"