As soon as we received the works by Walala Tjapaltjarri the visual effects employed were instantly effective: the use of a relatively simple, almost monochromatic colour palette and bold geometric shapes of varying size made my eyes wander over the canvas as though I had no control over them. Despite his traditional nomadic upbringing it’s surprising to me how contemporary & modernist his works are, all the while holding true to his subject of the Tingari cycle (a series of sacred and secret men’s mythological song cycles associated with a number of related sites in Walala’s country).

Walala Tjapaltjarri  Tingari  90 x 150 cm  WTJAR1104 - $3,905

In case you haven’t noticed we have a recent addition to our website which we’re very excited about!
It’s called ‘My Wish List’, it’s located in the upper right hand corner of your screen and basically allows you to create a wish list of works from our site.
While viewing any work on our site you can see that to the left of the image are all the details of the work, underneath this box are the Actions that you can choose from (incl. view more works by this artist, read artist biography, request more info) and it is here that you will find Add to Wish List.  Once you’ve compiled your list of favourite works you can print it out, bring us the list and our staff will find them for you!

Remember that we also have computers setup for you in our top gallery, which you’re more than welcome to print from!

COMING SOON: the ability to export your wish list and email it to us!

Just so you’re all aware our operating hours for the Easter / ANZAC long (long) weekend are as follows:
Friday 22nd  – CLOSED
Saturday 23rd  – OPEN (11am – 6pm)
Sunday 24th – CLOSED
Monday 25th – CLOSED
Tuesday 26th – CLOSED

To arrange an appointment please feel free to call 0400 508 050.  We will resume normal operating hours (Wednesday to Sunday 11am – 6pm) from Wednesday 27th April.

We hope you all enjoy your weekend!!

Hello!  This is my first blog entry, so I will start by introducing myself- my name is Jacqui and I am responsible for entering all new artworks into the system so they appear on the website and are ready for sale.  It’s a great job because I’m first to see all the new paintings that we get in from various art centres and artists around the country.  Kate has just come back from a trip to Alice Springs and the surrounding art centres, and has brought lots of exciting new pieces (this means more work for me!!).

One of the most exciting things Kate has brought back are indigenous prints, which we have never had before!  These prints come from the Iwantja Community, which is situated in far north South Australia.  The Art Centre traces its origins to the 1970s, when the Indulkana Arts Association taught secondary students wood carving, batik, patchwork, dying and painting.  By the 1980s, the community began experimenting with linoblock printing, with many of these prints now exhibited in the South Australian Museum.

My favourite works in this group of prints are the collographs.  Created by artists Suzie Prince and Kanakiya Tjanyari, these monochromatic pieces demonstrate a innocent naivety.  Dismissing standard notions of one point perspective characteristic of works on paper and canvas, these artists show a whimsical approach to objects in space.  In Putipula by Suzie Prince (below), the work starts to look more like a sculpture- there is no indication of a horizontal or vertical orientation, in many ways the work looks like a topographical glimpse of the artist’s country.  The sculptural quality is perhaps characteristic of the collagraph process, whereby materials as diverse as sandpaper, string, card, and leaves can be applied to the plate, covered with paint and then pressed onto paper.  With such texture applied to the plate, its no wonder that the prints have such depth!

Please come in to see these beautiful prints in person! Until next time, Jacqui

Suzie Prince  Putipula  collograph on paper (ed. 8/20)  25 x 36 cm - $225

The small works we have at the gallery by Nora Wompi are little gems.  Deceptively simple, their immediacy and raw power grab your attention.  There is a hypnotic element to the crude concentric circles that trap your eye.  Executed with supreme confidence, Nora’s paintings are striking in their lack of craft.  She does not rely on any pre-conceived ‘tricks’ of colour or balance or pattern.  The work is aggressive and direct.
A minimal light pallet of yellow and white create a delicate contrast with the ochre ground.  The works are physically small, only 30 x 40cm, but their compressed powerful brushwork gives them the commanding presence of a much larger scale.

Nora Wompi  Kunawarritji  30 x 40 cm  - $1,100

Despite occurring some time ago we here at Kate Owen Gallery are still very, very impressed with this effort by the Tjanpi Desert Weavers: in 2005 20 women spent 3 weeks to create a weaved model of a Toyota.  Measuring in at 4 x 2 m the work was entirely created out of raffia, grass, jute string, chicken wire and steel!  The work went on to claim first prize at the prestigious Telstra Art Award (for 2005).  With judges Doug Hall (Director of the Queensland Art Gallery) and visual artist Destiny Deacon remarking that “Tjanpi Grass Toyota…is a wonderfully witty, well-crafted and relevant work.  In one sense it takes us to the heart of community life and its tradition of weaving from grass that belongs to the women’s country.  On the other hand, this work not only recognises but also celebrates the four-wheel drive as central to desert living for Aboriginal people.”

Tjanpi Toyota, 2005, photo by Thisbe Purich ©Tjanpi Desert Weavers

While we (unfortunately!) do not stock any works by the weavers quite this large we do have a large range of works, of varying sizes.  Including goannas, lizards & snakes through to an assortment of bowls and small figures!  As per usual all works available in the gallery are listed on our website so feel free to check them out here!

Despite occurring some time ago we here at Kate Owen Gallery are still very, very impressed with this effort by the Tjanpi Desert Weavers: in 2005 20 women spent 3 weeks to create a weaved model of a Toyota.  Measuring in at 4 x 2 m the work was entirely created out of raffia, grass, jute string, chicken wire and steel!  The work went on to claim first prize at the prestigious Telstra Art Award (for 2005).  With judges Doug Hall (Director of the Queensland Art Gallery) and visual artist Destiny Deacon remarking that “Tjanpi Grass Toyota…is a wonderfully witty, well-crafted and relevant work.  In one sense it takes us to the heart of community life and its tradition of weaving from grass that belongs to the women’s country.  On the other hand, this work not only recognises but also celebrates the four-wheel drive as central to desert living for Aboriginal people.”

Tjanpi Toyota, 2005, photo by Thisbe Purich ©Tjanpi Desert Weavers

While we (unfortunately!) do not stock any works by the weavers quite this large we do have a large range of works, of varying sizes.  Including goannas, lizards & snakes through to an assortment of bowls and small figures!  As per usual all works available in the gallery are listed on our website so feel free to check them out here!

As all great art should do, this work by the esteemed Dorothy Napangardi grabbed me straight away, truly love at first site! The work is subtle and intricate, refined and elegant. Irregular dotting and the introduction of an earthy, warm tone unlike Dorothy's usual black and white, means the painting avoids becoming too mechanical.  The design holds your interest infinitely as the eye is guided in and around the canvas by concentric circles. Although not a large work, this painting exemplifies Dorothy's talent as an artist and reinstates her status within the aboriginal art world.

Dorothy Napangardi  Karntakurlangu Jukurrpa (Belonging to Women)  90 x 90 cm - $6,620