Janie is a Warlpiri artist who lives at the township of Ti Tree in the Northern Territory (190km
North of Alice Springs), although her traditional country lies further North at Willowra
community. She is married to an ex police tracker appropriately named Jimmy Tracker.
Between them they have three young children and Janie has worked as a teacher’s aide at
the Ti Tree Primary School in the past. Janie was born circa 1960 and her skin name is
Nangala.
Janie paints sporadically and infrequently, however when she does paint, her works are
usually stunning aerial perspectives of the land incorporating ceremonial grounds at the
intersection of ‘songlines’ or tracking lines. One can assume that these lines are not
necessarily physical in nature but denote a Dreaming song or story that runs through the
land and acts as a boundary and or walking route that is recognised as a significant part of
the landscape from which indigenous people have subsisted for countless years. Where
these lines intersect is called ‘Meeting Place’ in English and may represent a special place or
a sacred site.
Her intricate and painstaking technique of fine, dual sized dots is typical of the women artists
from Willowra, and although her paintings are quite mesmerising and of an extremely high
calibre, she is virtually unknown as an artist due to her isolation and the scarcity of her
works. She truly fits the definition of ‘emerging artist’ and will certainly have a bright career to
look forward to if she continues to paint her stories.
North of Alice Springs), although her traditional country lies further North at Willowra
community. She is married to an ex police tracker appropriately named Jimmy Tracker.
Between them they have three young children and Janie has worked as a teacher’s aide at
the Ti Tree Primary School in the past. Janie was born circa 1960 and her skin name is
Nangala.
Janie paints sporadically and infrequently, however when she does paint, her works are
usually stunning aerial perspectives of the land incorporating ceremonial grounds at the
intersection of ‘songlines’ or tracking lines. One can assume that these lines are not
necessarily physical in nature but denote a Dreaming song or story that runs through the
land and acts as a boundary and or walking route that is recognised as a significant part of
the landscape from which indigenous people have subsisted for countless years. Where
these lines intersect is called ‘Meeting Place’ in English and may represent a special place or
a sacred site.
Her intricate and painstaking technique of fine, dual sized dots is typical of the women artists
from Willowra, and although her paintings are quite mesmerising and of an extremely high
calibre, she is virtually unknown as an artist due to her isolation and the scarcity of her
works. She truly fits the definition of ‘emerging artist’ and will certainly have a bright career to
look forward to if she continues to paint her stories.
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