Pansy Napangardi

Pansy Napangardi is a renowned Warlpiri artist born around 1948 at Haasts Bluff in Central Australia. She emerged as one of the first prominent female painters in the Western Desert Art movement. Inspired by observing senior male artist, Pansy began painting independently in the early 1970's, a time when few women were participainting in the Papunya Tula movement. 

Her vibrant works often depicting Dreaming stories such as 'Water Dreaming' and 'Willy Wagtail Dreaming', are characterised by intricate dorring and bold colour palettes. Pansy's art gained significant recognition in the 1980's, including solo exhibitions at the Sydney Opera House and in Melbourne. In 1989, she was abarded the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award. 

Her paintings are held in major collections including the National Gallery of Australia, the Art Gallery of New South Wales, and the National Gallery of Victoria. Pansy Napangardi's pioneering work has paved the way for future generations of Aboriginal women artists, and her voice continues to resonate strongly through her art.