My country by Nora Campbell

Description

Artist: Nora Campbell

Cat#: 4-24

Size and medium: 36x46cm Painting

Title: My country

Nora Campbell was born at Mount Dare Station, on the South Australian border. Her family later moved to Finke (Aputula), where her Father worked as a stockman. Nora recounts wonderful memories of those days, “travelling with family on camels back”. Nora moved to Titjikala in 1978, where she worked at Maryvale Station and was employed as a domestic helper, collecting water and wood for the homestead as well as tending to the goats and cattle. Nora commenced painting at the Titjikala Art Centre in 1989. Her work provides a record of many aspects of her early life, including long journeys to local ‘soaks’, collecting water in coolamons, and gathering bush tucker. Representations in Nora’s work include bush fruits, wild flowers, honey ants and witchetty grubs. Her art is vibrant, full of life and movement, Nora learnt the craft of “punu” (wood carving) from her mother, and makes detailed wooden artefacts and animals, intricately carved and decorated with linear burn marks. She also enjoys weaving baskets and sculptures (tjanpi) from locally gathered grasses and raffia, creating jewellery from seeds and nuts sourced and traded throughout central Australia, ceramics and batik. She talks of gathering materials for her creations from the lands around Titjikala and demonstrates a deep connection and love of this region. Nora played a major role in the creation of Batik costumes for the tour of Germany by the Central Australian Aboriginal Women’s Choir. EXHIBITIONS: 2023 Beanie Festival Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs 0NT 2022 June Marriot Gallery. Central Craft Alice Springs NT 2022 Beanie Festival, Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs. 2021 Terres traces peindre avec l’ocre, Bolero Gallery, Versoix, Geneve, Switzerland. 2021 Beanie Festival, Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs 2021 Walka Wirunya, June Marriat Gallery, Alice Springs 2019 Desert Mob, Araluen Precinct, Alice Springs 2019 June Marriot Gallery, Alice Springs 2019 Beanie Festival, Alice Springs 2018 Beanie Festival, Alice Springs 2017 Beanie Festival, Alice Springs 2017 June Marriot Gallery, Alice Springs 2016 Beanie festival, Alice Spring 2015 Walka Kutjupa -kutjupa tjunanyi 2015 Beanie Festival, Alice Springs 2014 Desert Mob, Araluen, Alice Springs 2013 A love of Country. Seymour College, Adelaide 2012 Desert Mob, Araluen, Alice Springs 2011 Seymour College, Adelaide 2011 Desert Mob, Araluen, Alice Springs 2011 June Marriot Gallery 2010 Desert Mob, Araluen Alice Springs 2009 Desert Mob: Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs 2009 Seymour College, Adelaide 2009 Concordia College, Adelaide 2008 Desert Mob, Araluen Cultural Center, Alice Springs NT 2008 Mountbatten School Exhibition, Hampshire, United Kingdom 2007 Naïve Exhibition, Gallery Gondwana, Alice Springs NT 2006-08 Alice Springs Beanie Festival, Araluen Cultural Center NT 2006 Telstra Award, Darwin NT 2006 Desert Mob, Araluen Cultural Center, Alice Springs NT 2005 Bush Life, Philip Neville Gallery, Darwin NT 2005 Desert Mob, Araluen Cultural Center, Alice Springs NT 2004 Desert Mob, Araluen Cultural Center, Alice Springs NT COMMISSIONS 2008 National Australia Bank, ATM Arts Project COLLECTIONS Araluen Cultural Center, Alice Springs NT Kerry Stokes Collection, 2007 Titjikala sits in the midst of a series of rich, red clay pans on the western fringe of the Simpson Desert. This tiny community of approximately 250 people has been a traditional area of the Eastern Arrente people since the Dreamtime. A broad expansive landscape rich in rocky outcrops, undulating ridges, gorges and dry river beds, the country surrounding Titjikala is stark and arid but incredibly beautiful. Endless horizons, huge skies, reds and ochres of the desert, a feast of colour, textures and sound to feast your eyes and feed your soul. Tapatjatjaka Art Centre is an artist owned organisation within this tiny community. The art centre is a central point of reference for both artists, community residents and tourists alike. It’s a place where people come to for work, to learn new skills, to gain information, to find people, for directions, to get assistance, for advocacy and of course, to create art. A busy place with lots of laughter, people of all ages, often several dogs and the occasional pig or two. There is always something new being created and much discussion going on between artists. The art centre is a non profit organisation with monies going back into the centre after artists have received their commission and all accounts paid.