Snake - Kitty Kutuwalumi Purawarrumpatu
Snake, Kitty Kutuwalumi Purawarrumpatu
Ochre on Linen, 60x50 cm
Kitty Kantilla, is known as the ‘first old lady of Jilamara’ and was a founding member of Jilamara Arts & Crafts. Having passed away in October 2003, Kitty’s legacy survives her at Jilamara and throughout the Australian Contemporary art world. Kitty once said of her art, “The jilamara that I do, it’s my father’s design. I watched him as young girl and I’ve still got design in my head. As a young girl, when my sister passed away, I watched him. When he died, I did the same design, right through Nguiu [Paru], I kept painting. When my husband died in Adelaide, they wanted to give me a widow’s pension but I said, ‘No, I’ll work, make jilamara, carving, make my own living’. Right through all the way, working everyday! When we gathered logs for carving, there was no transport! We carried them on our shoulder, walking, having a rest, walking a long way, heavy work. We worked at home [Paru], with no chainsaws, just tomahawk, carving, hard work. Then we would take the carvings by canoe, paddling across to Nguiu to sell them.”
