Millie Coulthard (4)

Millie Coulthard (4)

Regular price $250.00

Artist: Millie Coulthard

Size: 30 x 30 cm

Acrylic on linen.

Stretched and ready to hang. 

About:

Language:  Pitjantjatjara

Date of birth: 1959
Community: Mutitjulu : NT
Millie was born and grew up in the community of Areyonga and lives in Mutitjulu within the Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park.  She has worked with the independent secondary school Nyangatjatjara College in the community office and for Maruku Arts as a painting demonstrator.  She was also a ranger for the National Park.
Tjukurpa is the Law and stories of Ancestors.  Anangu (Central and Western Desert Aboriginal people) have responsibilities for the protection and teaching of of their stories, there are strict protocols for the sharing of knowledge. The dotting technique has evolved with the need to adapt sacred expressions of Tjukurpa for the public and as a depiction of desert landscape.
The Tjukurpa of the Kungkarangkalpa, is the story of the Seven Sisters.  Pursued by a cunning man called Nyiru across a vast amount of Australia they eventually fled to the sky to become the constellation known as the Pleiades or Seven Sisters, followed by Nyiru in Orion.
Millie's design often depicts the 'u' shaped figures of seated women who have significant roles to play in the care of family and the wider community:  food provision, child rearing, teaching and protection of the harmony of kin and country via the Tjukurpa.  Their knowledge involves important work and ritual which they continue to pass on to their granddaughters.  Using their Piti, or wooden bowl and wana, digging stick they collect bush foods which include kampurarpa, arnguli, mangata, unturngu, bush tomato, plum, quandong, and bush banana.  They also dig for the sweet tjala, honey ants living under the ground beneath the mulga trees but more often Millie paints the maku, or witchetty grub founds in roots of the witchetty bush.
Millie's paintings has been purchased by people all over the world.

Share this Product


More from this collection