Jukuja Dolly Snell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jukuja Dolly Snell
Died	30 December 2015
Occupation	Artist
Awards	National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award (NATSIAA)

Jukuja Dolly Snell (born around 1933 – died December 30, 2015) was a talented artist from Western Australia. She was famous for her vibrant paintings that showed the beauty of her homeland. In 2015, she won a very important prize, the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award.

Her Life Story

Dolly Snell was born in 1933 near a special waterhole called Kurtal. This place was very important to her family. Her father, Lawalawa, was the caretaker of Kurtal. Later, a painting by another artist, Ngarralja Tommy May, showed Lawalawa at a waterhole called Jitirr after he passed away. In 2007, Dolly Snell painted Jitirr herself.

After her father died, Dolly and her mother traveled a lot. They visited places like Balgo and Christmas Creek Station. They spoke the Wangkatjungka language. Dolly later remembered seeing a white person and a sheep for the first time. Many Aboriginal people moved out of the desert around this time. This movement is sometimes called the Walmajarri diaspora.

While working on the stations with her mother, Dolly met her husband, Nyirlpirr Spider Snell. They were together for many years and officially married in 1986. They had two children, Henry and Dorothy. They also adopted another artist named Lisa Uhl. Dolly helped raise her eight grandchildren from Dorothy. These grandchildren lovingly called Dolly the 'Kurtal Queen'.

Her Art Career

Dolly Snell started painting in the 1980s. This was when the Australian government began to support Aboriginal education. She helped start the Karrayili Adult Education Centre. Later, she also helped create the Mangkaja Arts Resource Agency. Dolly became known as one of the artists who helped make Aboriginal art very popular in the 1990s.

Art Shows

Dolly Snell's art was first shown in 1991 in Adelaide. In 1993, her work was part of a big show at the National Gallery of Victoria. In 1994, her paintings were in an exhibition called 'This is my country'. This show was part of the Festival of Perth.

She also helped paint a giant canvas called Ngurrara II in 1997. In 2007, she was part of an international art show. It was called 'Sitting Down with Jukuja and Wakarta'. For three weeks, the artists worked together and learned from each other. Dolly's first solo show was in Darwin in 2014. It was called 'Kurtal: New Work by Dolly Snell'.

In Movies

Dolly Snell appeared in a documentary film in 2015. The film was called Putuparri and the Rainmakers. It was directed by Nicole Ma. In the movie, Dolly's grandson, Tom, tells the story. He talks about how the people of their area fought to get their traditional lands back.

Winning the Telstra Award

In 2015, Dolly Snell won the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award. She won for her painting called Kurtal. This painting showed the special place where she was born. While painting Kurtal, Dolly sang songs that her grandmother had taught her. It took her three weeks to finish the painting.

Dolly was a respected leader for women's traditional law in her community. She passed away on December 30, 2015, in Fitzroy Crossing.

Art Themes

Dolly Snell's paintings often showed places and things from around Kurtal. These included the jila (waterholes) and jilji (sandhills). She also painted mangarri (bush tucker) and local plants. Her artwork is known for its bright colors and strong, bold style.

Where Her Art Is Kept

Dolly Snell's artworks are held in important public collections. These include:

• Art Gallery of New South Wales: Living Water, Kurtal.
• National Museum of Australia: Jitirr; Kartamarti.
• National Gallery of Victoria: Jitirr; Untitled; Kalpartujarra.
• Artbank, Sydney: various works.
• Flinders University Museum of Art