Lorna Ward Napanangka born early 1960’s
Language Group: Pintupi
Born near Umari
Lorna Ward Napanangka was born at Papunya in the early 1960s and is the daughter of famous artist, Timmy Payungka Tjapangardi, one of the first-generation Papunya Tula artists, and Margaret Nampitjinpa, originally from the Umari area. Lorna began painting when she was living at Kintore in 1996 and she often paints the site of Marrapinti. Lorna can be a law unto herself, having something of her father’s fierce assertiveness about her. In 1999 Lorna contributed to the collaborative, the Kiwirrkura Women’s painting, as part of the Western Desert Dialysis Appeal. Her first husband was Leo Tjupurrula and after his death she married Billy Ward Tjupurrula, a well known Aboriginal artist in his own right until his death in 2001. They moved between the communities at Kintore and Kiwirrkurra, spending more time at the latter where they had family. Lorna employs a variety of styles in her artwork and moves freely between them as she paints her canvases. Her fine and rhythmic work evokes styles as diverse as the severe Western Desert formalism of Anatjari Tjakamarra and the finely gridded patterns of the Tiwi islands. Her technique of fine dotting in white onto a plain black or brown background has been a strong influence on other Pintupi women painters. This enormous versatility and collectability is recognised by collectors worldwide.