Milyika Carroll facts for kids

Milyika Carroll (born 1958) is an amazing Aboriginal Australian artist. She is also known as Alison Carroll or "Windlass" Carroll. Milyika is a respected leader in her community on the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands in South Australia.

Milyika Carroll's Early Life and Training

Milyika was born in 1958 in a place called Ernabella. This area is in the northwest of South Australia. When she was born, Ernabella was a Presbyterian mission for Aboriginal people.

After finishing primary school in Ernabella, Milyika went to high school in Alice Springs. She studied at Saint Philips College and Yirara College. Once she finished school, she moved back to Ernabella.

First Jobs and Learning New Skills

Milyika briefly worked at her community's craft centre. Here, she made beautiful hand-painted bookmarks and gift cards. She also learned a special art method called batik. This technique uses wax and dye to create patterns on fabric. Batik was first taught in Ernabella in 1971.

After working at the craft centre for a couple of years, Carroll decided to try something new. She trained to become a health worker in Adelaide. Then, she returned to Ernabella to work in the local clinic. Even while working in health, she still helped at the craft centre sometimes. She learned a lot from her mother there.

Milyika Carroll is married to Pepai Carroll. They have five children together.

Milyika Carroll's Community Leadership

Milyika Carroll has played a big role in running Ernabella Arts for many years. This is a place where artists create and share their work. She was the chairperson (like a president) of Ernabella Arts from 2001 to 2003. Then, she became its manager from 2004 to 2007. She was chairperson again from 2007 to 2010.

She also led another important group called Aṉanguku Arts and Culture Aboriginal Corporation. She was its chairperson from 2004 to 2006. After that, she became a director. Aṉanguku Arts helps to grow the art economy on the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands. Her husband, Pepai, has also been a chairman for this group.

Representing Her Community

In April 2008, Milyika Carroll was chosen for a special event. She attended the Australia 2020 Summit in Canberra. At this summit, she and Makinti Minutjukur represented the APY communities. This means they spoke for their people.

Since then, she has been involved in school administration in Ernabella. She has been the chairwoman of the Governing Council of Ernabella Aṉangu School since 2011.

Milyika Carroll's Amazing Artwork

Milyika Carroll is famous for many types of art. She creates paintings, printmakings, batiks, ceramics, and textile works. She uses different printmaking methods. These include lithographs, etchings, and screen printing.

Her painted designs are called walka. These are special designs and symbols that have deep meaning for her. They show her identity and how she sees the world. The designs are connected to her family's Dreaming legends. These designs are abstract, meaning they don't look like real things. They come from ancient ceremonial designs. In the past, these designs were painted on the body or on rocks.

Where You Can See Her Art

Milyika Carroll's art is shown in many public and private galleries. You can find her work in Australia and other countries. For example, some of her batik pieces are in the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney. They are also in the State Library of South Australia in Adelaide, and the British Museum. The National Museum of Australia and the National Gallery of Australia have many of her printings, etchings, batik works, and textile paintings.

One of her very first paintings on paper was chosen as a finalist. This was for the first National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award in 1984. In 2011, her uncle, Dickie Minyintiri, won this same award. He was one of the oldest people to ever win it.

Milyika also painted a crucifix that included traditional designs. She made this for Deaconess Hilliard, who ran the craft room at Ernabella. This painting was shown in an exhibition called "Talking Blak to History" at the National Museum of Australia in July 2020. The painting showed the special friendship between the two women. The deaconess kept it hanging over her bed until she passed away.

Awards and Recognition

Milyika Carroll won the Premier's Award for Lifetime Achievement. This was at the South Australian Ruby Awards in 2018.

Red Ochre Award

The Australia Council for the Arts helps fund and advise on arts in Australia. Since 1993, they have given out the Red Ochre Award. This award goes to an amazing Indigenous Australian artist. It celebrates their achievements throughout their life.