Loongkoonan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Loongkoonan
Born	c. 1910 Kimberley, Western Australia, Australia
Died	2018
Nationality	Australian
Known for	Painting

Daisy Loongkoonan (born around 1910, died 2018) was an amazing Australian Aboriginal artist. She was also an elder, which means she was a respected leader in her community. Loongkoonan belonged to the Nyikina people from the central western Kimberley region in Western Australia. She was known for her unique dot paintings that showed her deep connection to her traditional lands.

Loongkoonan's Early Life

Daisy Loongkoonan was born near the Fitzroy River in Western Australia. Her parents worked on cattle stations. As she grew up, Loongkoonan followed them. She helped with mustering sheep and cooked in the stock camps. Later, she rode horses and helped gather cattle.

During the wet season, Loongkoonan would go with her people to their traditional lands. There, they would take part in ceremonies. They also gathered bush foods, medicines, and a special wax called 'limmiri' from spinifex plants. Loongkoonan spent this time "footwalking" across 133,000 hectares of land. She believed that "Footwalking is the proper way to learn about country and remember it.”

Becoming an Artist

In 2005, Loongkoonan started painting. She joined an arts workshop called Manambarra Aboriginal Artists in Derby, Western Australia. She was already 94 years old when she began!

Her paintings showed shimmering pictures of bush tucker, which are native Australian foods. People loved her work right away. Her art was shown in every state and territory in Australia. Loongkoonan's paintings also inspired many new Nyikina artists, like Peggy Wassi. Loongkoonan passed away in 2018.

Her Unique Painting Style

Loongkoonan had a very special painting style. It was called "pointillist" because she used many small dots. When she first started painting in 2004, she was still learning how to use the paint. But within about a year, she had perfected her technique. She developed her own unique style.

Her paintings were considered very beautiful. She created them using many vibrating dots and lines. She used bright colors that stood out. Her art often featured images of bush tucker, tools for gathering food, and the important Mardoowarra (Fitzroy River).

Awards and Exhibitions

Loongkoonan received several important awards for her art. In 2006, she won first prize in the Redlands Art Award. The next year, in 2007, she won the Indigenous award at the Drawing Together Art Awards. This event was held at the National Archives of Australia.

In 2016, Loongkoonan had a special solo exhibition in the United States. It was called Yimardoowarra: Artist of the River. The exhibition was first shown at the Australian Embassy in Washington, DC. Then, it traveled to the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection at the University of Virginia. At the same time, her work was also a big part of the 2016 Adelaide Biennial. This show was held at the Art Gallery of South Australia.

Where to See Her Art

Loongkoonan's amazing artworks are kept in many important collections. You can find her paintings at Australian Parliament House. They are also at the Art Gallery of Western Australia. Other places include the Berndt Museum of Anthropology at the University of Western Australia, Macquarie University, and the Department of Indigenous Affairs in Canberra.

See also

In Spanish: Loongkoonan para niños