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The Napaljarri-warnu Jukurrpa (seven sisters Dreaming) depicts the story of the seven ancestral Napaljarri sisters who are found in the night sky today in the cluster of seven stars in the constellation Taurus, more commonly known as the Pleiades. The Pleiades are seven women of the Napaljarri skin group and are often depicted in paintings of this Jukurrpa carrying the Jampijinpa man ‘wardilyka’ (the bush turkey [Ardeotis australias]) who is in love with the Napaljarri-warnu and who represents the Orion's Belt cluster of stars. Jukurra-jukurra, the morning star, is a Jakamarra man who is also in love with the seven Napaljarri sisters and is often shown chasing them across the night sky. In a final attempt to escape from the Jakamarra the Napaljarri-warnu turned themselves into fire and ascended to the heavens to become stars. The custodians of the Napaljarri-warnu Jukurrpa are Japaljarri/Jungarrayi men and Napaljarri/Nungarrayi women. Some parts of the Napaljarri-warnu Jukurrpa are closely associated with men’s sacred ceremonies of a very secretive nature. In contemporary Warlpiri paintings traditional iconography is used to represent the Jukurrpa, associated sites and other elements. Often depicted in paintings for this Jukurrpa is the female star Yantarlarangi (Venus - the Evening Star) who chases the seven Napaljarri sisters for having stolen the night from her.
Shanna Napanangka Williams was born in 1988 in Alice Springs Hospital, the closest hospital to Yuendumu , a remote Aboriginal community located 290 km north-west of Alice Springs in the NT of Australia. Shanna is the great grand-daughter of Paddy Japaljarri Sims (Dec) and Bessie Nakamarra Sims (Dec), two of the founding artists of Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation, an Aboriginal owned and governed Art Centre located in Yuendumu. Shanna has been painting with Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation, since 2002, when she was 14 years of age. She began painting during the school holidays when the art centre ran cultural maintenance programs for the school children. Shanna paints her father’s Jukurrpa stories, Dreamings which relate directly to her land, its features and the plants and animals that inhabit it. These stories were passed down to her by her father and her great grandfather. Shanna uses an unrestricted palette, building on traditions that stretch back at least fifty millennia, developing a modern interpretation of her traditional culture. The Sims family is indicative of how community based the art centre is with 4 generations actively participating in art centre activities at the same time. Shanna attended the local Yuendumu School. She is now a full time mum looking after her two children Ivan and Diona. When she is not painting or looking after her children she likes to go hunting. She particularly likes hunting for Honey ants.
While every gallery can provide a certificate of authenticity, only those issued by community-run Aboriginal Art Centres ensure ethical purchasing and documentation. Any gallery can produce a certificate with an inkjet printer, but these do not guarantee ethical practices if they do not come from an Aboriginal community art centre. Alternate certificates are a big red flag. All of our paintings come with a certificate of authenticity provided by the community-run Aboriginal Art Centre, ensuring the gold standard for ethical purchasing.
We offer a lifetime money-back authenticity guarantee and 120-day returns to ensure you are always getting an authentic piece of art from ART ARK®. Your peace of mind in knowing you are purchasing genuine Aboriginal Art is important to us.
Please find more information on authenticity here: Aboriginal Art Authenticity
This painting is sent rolled.
Sending paintings rolled is the best option for their safe arrival and allows us to include free shipping, provide timely service, and maintain consistent and transparent pricing relating to the prices set by each Aboriginal Art centre.
The size of the painting listed relates to the painted surface. There is also a painted edge(2cm) and additional canvas for stretching.
A local framer will easily stretch the work for you at a nominal cost. Framers are everywhere and there is likely one just up the road.
Please find further details and examples relating to framing here: Framing Aboriginal Art
Warm your home with beautiful Aboriginal art from the world’s oldest living culture. When you purchase, you support the artist and their community art centre. Your artwork will arrive exactly as shown, colour-accurate, carefully packed, and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from a community-based art centre. Enjoy free insured delivery and a 120-day return policy for a seamless, confident, and ethical buying experience.
Only certificates from community-based Aboriginal art centres guarantee ethical sourcing. Every ART ARK® piece includes this important documentation. Learn more about Aboriginal Art Authenticity.
We love our artworks, and we think you will too! However, if for any reason you are not 100% satisfied in any way with your artwork then you can return it within 120 days of receipt for a full refund. Learn more about Delivery and Returns.
To keep pricing transparent, we deliver artworks as they come to us—unframed and priced in accordance with each art centre. Canvas and linen pieces are rolled for easy re-stretching at your local framer. Bark paintings and smaller items from our Stretched Desert Paintings collection arrive ready to hang. Watercolours should be framed behind glass, either custom or pre-made. Learn more about Framing Aboriginal Art.
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We’re flexible and want to support you as you support the artists. Traditional layby is available—simply pay a 20% deposit at checkout using code LAYBY20, and we’ll send you an invoice for the remaining balance within 24 hours. You can then make payments as you wish over 2 months, and we’ll reconcile the total before sending your artwork.
Shipping from Launceston, Tasmania (Lutruwita), to your doorstep, wherever you are. Domestic deliveries are free. For international orders under $500 AUD, a $30 AUD postage fee applies; otherwise, shipping is also free. Helpful Customs Links.
Please note: International duties and taxes may vary depending on your country. Original artworks, classified under tariff 970191(0000), are duty-free in the United States and Canada. The UK applies a reduced VAT of 5%, France 5.5%, and Germany 7%. In many other countries, duties can be higher so please check. We recommend keeping this in mind when making a purchase.