Nura Rupert facts for kids

Nura Rupert is an amazing Australian artist. She comes from the north-west part of South Australia. Nura creates her art using special printmaking methods. This means she makes designs by carving into surfaces. Then, she uses these carvings to print pictures onto paper.

Nura Rupert's Early Life

Nura Rupert was born around 1933. Her birthplace was Tjitapiti in north-western South Australia. This area is near a place called Angatja today.

Growing Up in the Bush

Nura was born "in the bush." This means her family lived a traditional, nomadic life. They moved around the desert near Angatja. When Nura was a baby, her family moved to Ernabella. This was a Presbyterian mission back then.

How Nura Rupert Became an Artist

Nura started working with crafts when she was young. At the mission, she learned to weave and knit. She made rugs and clothes. She also learned to carve wood and create art using "poker work." This is a way of burning designs into wood.

Starting to Paint

Around the year 2000, Nura began painting. She used acrylic paints on canvas. A few years later, she started using printmaking techniques. This is how she makes many of her artworks today.

The Stories in Nura Rupert's Art

Most of Nura's art tells stories from her childhood. She often draws children or animals. You might see dingos or goats in her pictures.

Spirits and Simple Shapes

Nura is most famous for her drawings of mamu. These are spirits from traditional Pitjantjatjara stories. These stories are told to children to help them stay safe. People often say Nura's art looks "child-like." This is because her shapes are simple, like drawings a child might make.

Nura Rupert's Art Exhibitions

Nura's artworks have been shown in many exhibitions since 2000. Her art has traveled to major cities in Australia. It has also been shown in cities in the United Kingdom.

Where to See Her Art

Many important art places own Nura's work. These include Flinders University and the Art Gallery of South Australia. Her art is also at the National Gallery of Australia and the National Museum of Australia. You can even find her prints at Parliament House in Canberra.

Awards and Recognition

Nura's prints were chosen for big art awards. She was a finalist for the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Awards in 2006 and 2007. She was also a finalist for the Western Australian Indigenous Art Awards in 2010.