Artist

Peggy Napangardi Jones was born at Phillip Creek Station and grew up in the bush – “when I was a kid I was living in the bush – no school”. Her mother was a Warlpiri woman, her grandmother from Alekarenge, and her father was a Warumungu man. It was from her father that Peggy Napangardi Jones inherited her Creation stories and their laws, which became her inspiration to paint.  The artist has fond memories of travelling through the harsh rocky lands with her family and when her mother gained employment from Phillip Creek to Brunchilly Station.

Peggy Napangardi Jones was introduced to acrylic painting on canvas in 1996 after joining the Julalikari CDEP Women’s Arts & Crafts program situated at the old ‘Pink Palace’ in Tennant Creek.  This enthusiastic group of local women were also encouraged and instructed on how to use other mediums including lino-cuts, etchings, silk screen printing and pottery. Peggy Napangardi Jones adapted to all mediums.  Napangardi’s bush birds and animals seem to take on personalities immediately and her bush tucker designs have such extraordinary placement on the canvas that defies the skill of an untrained technician.

Ngulya, or her soakage areas, are special water holes that are integral to her thinking or mind’s eye. The lush paint strokes alive with colour depict these areas, allowing the viewer to also enjoy and feel a sense of joy at being at this special place.

In 1999 the artist exhibited her paintings at Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne - her first solo show, which was greeted with great excitement and accolades.  Perhaps another highlight for Napangardi in 1999 was a printmaking workshop with Northern Editions at the Northern Territory University. From this workshop, three ‘Bird’ lithograph with chine collé print editions were produced. 

In 2002, Napangardi’s fourth solo exhibition 'Family' was held at Alcaston Gallery. In this exhibition, the artist created a series of family portraits, representing different members of her family through her expressive use of colour, wild abstractions of animals, birds and the energy of her brushstrokes. 

Peggy Napangardi Jones’ paintings are included in the National Gallery of Victoria’s hang of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art in Melbourne’s Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia at Federation Square which opened on the 26th October 2002.

In 2006, Alcaston Gallery presented the seventh solo exhibition by Peggy Napangardi Jones. This fabulous exhibition also travelled to the Depot Gallery in Sydney and represented the amazing natural talent that is Peggy Napangardi Jones.  A selection of major key works from both of these shows were chosen to travel to Poland and Lithuania as part of the High Tide: New Currents in Art from Australia and New Zealand, a survey exhibition of contemporary antipodean art, shown at Zacheta National Gallery of Art in Warsaw, Poland and at the Contemporary Art Centre (CAC) in Vilnius, Lithuania.

The artist retired in 2011, and Alcaston Gallery is proud to have represented her throughout her artistic career. In 2014, Alcaston Gallery was deeply saddened to announce the passing of Peggy Napangardi Jones.

© The Estate of the Artist and Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne 2024

For an extended CV, please contact Alcaston Gallery at art@alcastongallery.com.au