Clara Inkamala, Entrance of Palm Valley, 54x36cm

• Aboriginal Artist - Clara Inkamala
• Community - Hermannsburg
• Aboriginal Art Centre - Iltja Ntjarra / Many Hands Art Centre
• Catalogue number - WAC598-19
• Materials - Watercolours on watercolour paper  
• Painted Size(cm) - H36 W54
• Postage variants - Artwork posted flat unframed
• Orientation - As Displayed

Landscape of the entrance of Palm Valley in the Northern Territory

Clara Inkamala is a Western Aranda women. She grew up at Ntaria (Hermannsburg) Community. She now lives in Alice Springs with her sisters Noreen Hudson and Kathleen France. 

Clara has been an acclaimed potter at the Hermannsburg Potters for many year. She is currently painting at Many Hands art centre where she is learning to paint watercolour landscapes, inspired by Albert Namatjira. 

Clara’s description of the artists in her family: 

Our Uncle is Adolf Inkamala, he was a watercolour artist. Our dad was Gerhard Inkamala. Vanessa’s fathers was Edmund Inkamala. Our young uncle was Russell Inkamala, Sophia’s father was Clifford Inkamala. They all were watercolour artists from the same mother & father. They all learnt how to paint from their uncle Albert. My grandmother was Albert Namatjira’s sister.

Iltja Ntjarra / Many Hands Art Centre is proudly Aboriginal owned and directed. It is the home of the Namatjira watercolour artists. The Art Centre was established by Ngurratjuta/Pmara Ntjarra Aboriginal Corporation and started operating in 2004, as a not-for-profit Art Centre to provide a place for Arrernte Artists to come together to paint, share and learn new techniques and ideas. The Art Centre is strongly committed to improving economic participation of Aboriginal people and maintaining cultural heritage.

Iltja Ntjarra has a special focus on supporting the ‘Hermannsburg School’ style watercolour artists, who continue to paint in the tradition of their grandfather and relative, Albert Namatjira, arguably one of Australia’s most famous artists of the 20^th century. Albert Namatjira taught his children to follow in his unique style, who have since passed this knowledge on to their children, which has resonated in a legacy of watercolour artists in the Central Desert region. By continuing his legacy, these artists sustain an important piece of living history.

Iltja Ntjarra is proud of its ethical work practices and aims to return the greatest possible percentage of sales to the artist.

In June 2016, Iltja Ntjarra Aboriginal Corporation (ICN 8426) was newly incorporated by the Arrernte Artists associated with the Art Centre and in August 2016, the Ngurratjuta/Pmara Ntjarra Aboriginal Corporation transferred the not-for-profit Art Centre business to Iltja Ntjarra Aboriginal Corporation.

Iltja Ntjarra acknowledges the role of Ngurratjuta/Pmara Ntjarra Aboriginal Corporation to the establishment and development of the Art Centre and thanks it for its ongoing support.

The things that are most important to us are:

• The watercolour painting style
• The watercolour painting style
• To welcome all landscape artists to paint with us
• To welcome and encourage youth to paint with us
• To pass down stories about our country and culture
• To teach about the legacy of the Hermannsburg School of Watercolour art movement
• To tell stories of learning from our grandfather and relative Albert Namatjira
• To support and keep culture strong
• To promote the effective and ethical sale of artworks
• To provide increased economic benefit directly to the artists through sales, professional development, exhibitions and marketing

Test courtesy, Iltja Ntjarra / Many Hands Art Centre