Nyanu Watson, Perentieman Tjukurrpa, 91x45cm

Nyanu was born at a site near Pukatja (Ernabella, South Australia). As a young girl, she worked at the Christian mission there, spinning and dyeing wools to make rugs. She later moved to the neighbouring community of Amata, where she began work in the local store and cooked food for the children at the school.
During the homelands movement (an initiative to enable Anangu to return to their own country), Nyanu travelled to Kalka, where she still lives today. As well as being an avid craftswoman - mostly wood carving and grass weaving - Nyanu is a regular painter at the art centre and is a prominent member of Ninuku Arts.
Nyanu is known for her unusual depictions of various animals found in the area surrounding Kalka. She uses a combination of brushwork and dotting to create the highly stylised and unique creatures for which she has become known. Some of her favourites include the ngintaka (perentie), anumara (type of caterpillar), and kakalyalya (pink cockatoo).

Ninuku Arts is a wholly-Indigenous owned and governed Art Centre which supports artists from two communities - Pipalyatjara and Kalka. Each have populations of around 100-150 Anangu and the majority are Pitjantjatjara speakers – Anangu simply means ‘people’ in Pitjantjatjara. Both communities are located in the far north-western corner of South Australia, near the tri-state border of South Australia, Western Australia and Northern Territory. The two communities, fourteen kilometres apart, are surrounded by the rolling, rocky hills of the Tomkinson Ranges and are part of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands. Both Kalka and Pipalyatjara are peaceful places. This is a result of strong governance, cultural engagement and pride among local Anangu. 

The Art Centre itself is located in Kalka and is housed in a mud-brick building (the only one in the Lands), which was built as an office in the early 1980’s by Anangu and white staff, and has since been extended to accommodate the growing number of artists keen to paint. A silver bullet caravan (formerly a mobile health unit) is also located on site, and has become a place for some artists to paint, mostly during the winter months while the morning sun warms the deck. Despite being the most remote art centre on the APY Lands, having limited working space and access to services, Ninuku Arts has continued to grow in success with each year. The artist’s commitment to both the art centre and painting is unflappable. The art centre prides itself on its inclusivity (providing opportunities for all generations) and embracing individuality in artists.