Mabel Juli facts for kids
Mabel Juli (born around 1931) is a famous artist from the East Kimberley region in Western Australia. She is known for her unique paintings that tell stories from her culture.
Early Life and Background
Mabel Juli was born around 1931 or 1932 at a place called Five Mile, close to Moola Boola Station. Her traditional name is Wiringoon. Her family's traditional land, or "country," is called Barlinyin. This area is also known as Springvale, located south of the Warmun area.
Mabel Juli's Art Career
How She Started Painting
Mabel Juli began painting in the 1980s. She was inspired by other artists like Rover Thomas and Queenie McKenzie. She said that watching them made her "start thinking about my country," and she decided to try painting herself.
Her Unique Painting Style
Mabel Juli is most famous for her amazing black and white paintings. These artworks often show Garnkiny doo Wardel, which means "Moon and Star." Her paintings tell stories from the Ngarranggarni, also known as the Dreaming. These are ancient stories passed down from her parents. Her art often focuses on how the Dreaming ancestors created the landscape of the East Kimberley in Western Australia.
Mabel Juli is also an innovator, meaning she likes to try new things. She expanded the colors used in traditional Gija art. Besides the usual colors, she started using pink, purple, and green in her paintings.
Where She Works and Her Art Collections
Mabel Juli continues to create art at the Warmun Art Centre. Her artworks are displayed in many important art collections around the world. These include:
- The Art Gallery of South Australia
- The National Gallery of Victoria
- The Art Gallery of New South Wales
- Artbank
- The Berndt Museum at the University of Western Australia
- The Parliament of Western Australia Art Collection
- The Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki in New Zealand
- The National Gallery of Australia
Awards and Recognition
Mabel Juli has received many important awards and honors for her art:
- In 2013, she won the Kate Challis RAKA Award for Visual Arts for her painting called Under The Sun.
- She was a finalist in the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Art Award in 2018.
- In 2020, her artwork was shown on the famous sails of the Sydney Opera House.
- Also in 2020, Mabel Juli was one of six artists featured in the ABC TV series This Place: Artist Series. This show was a partnership between the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the National Gallery of Australia. It explored the stories of some of Australia's greatest Indigenous artists, their art, their land, and their communities.
- She was also featured in the 2020-2021 National Gallery of Australia's Know My Name initiative. This project celebrates the important contributions of Australian women artists.
- In 2024, she received the Red Ochre Award for Lifetime Achievement at the First Nations Arts and Culture Awards. This award recognizes her incredible work and dedication to art throughout her life.
