Benita Clements, Family fishing at Ellery Bighole, 39.5x28cm

• Aboriginal Artist - Benita Clements
• Community - Hermannsburg
• Aboriginal Art Centre - Iltja Ntjarra / Many Hands Art Centre
• Catalogue number - WAC546-18
• Materials - Watercolour on watercolour paper
• Painted Size(cm) - H28 W39.5
• Postage variants - Artwork posted flat, unframed
• Orientation - As displayed

Landscape of Family fishing at Ellery Bighole near Alice Springs, in the Northern Territory.

Benita is the daughter of artist Gwenda Namatjira and great granddaughter of Albert Namatjira. She paints her country both in dot paintings depictions and watercolours. Benita also paints figurative images of her family and their learning of the watercolour painting tradition. Benita is teaching her husband, Ricky Connick the painting skill. She often comes to Ngurratjuta Many Hands art centre to learn from the elders and get inspiration from old photographs and stories.

In her own words: I paint the current and old Namatjira Family and the old days in Ntaria. For example, I painted my uncle Kevin Namatjira while he painted his family in Hermannsburg at the Cafe, at the Hermannsburg Precinct. I also painted Lenie Namatjira, my aunty teaching her grandchildren Carissa & Kiara Malthouse at Hermansburg how to paint in watercolours. I paint stories that I have been told or that I see in pictures from the old days. For instance, how water was sourced from the creek, Western Arrarnta people were getting water for their families in buckets. I paint people & children from the community painting out bush near the Finke River. I always paint my country in the background, being the West MacDonnell ranges and Mt Hermannsburg.

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

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 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

Sending paintings unframed is the best option for their safe arrival, allowing us to include free shipping, provide a timely service, and maintain consistent and transparent pricing related to the prices set by each Aboriginal Art centre.

A local framer can frame this; we think they look great with a Tas oak frame and low-glare glass. Alternatively, you can use an inexpensive, ready-made frame available at most large retailers.

Please find further details and examples relating to framing here: How to Frame Your Aboriginal Art