Tjayanka Woods facts for kids

Tjayanka Woods is an amazing Indigenous Australian artist. She was one of the first artists to start a new art movement in the lands of the Ngaanyatjarra, Pitjantjatjara, and Yankunytjatjara people. This exciting art movement began in the year 2000.

Tjayanka Woods is most famous for her beautiful paintings. She is also a skilled craftswoman who makes baskets and other woven artworks. You can see her paintings in important art galleries. These include the Art Gallery of Western Australia, the National Gallery of Victoria, and the National Gallery of Australia.

Tjayanka Woods' Early Life

Tjayanka Woods was born around 1935. Her birthplace was near Kaḻayapiṯi, which is a special rock hole in the Great Victoria Desert. This area is located in South Australia.

Growing Up in the Bush

Tjayanka grew up living a traditional life. She moved around the bush with her family. They lived this way before meeting people from Euro-Australian society. Her family often camped at Kaḻayapiṯi.

As a girl, Tjayanka and other girls would gather bushfood together. She learned how to carve simple tools and decorative items. She also learned to burn traditional patterns into wood. This special art is called puṉu. Tjayanka also learned to spin hair string using a hand-spun spindle. She could weave head rings and ceremonial belts from hair and feathers.

Starting Her Art Career

Tjayanka Woods began painting in 2000. This was after she moved to Irrunytju. The women there opened an art center. It was a community project to help people earn money. This center was named Irrunytju Arts.

Painting with a Friend

From the very beginning of her art journey, Tjayanka often painted with her friend Anmanari Brown. In 2007, Anmanari Brown's husband passed away. After this, the two friends left Irrunytju. They went to live at Papulankutja, which is in Ngaanyatjarra lands.

Here, they continued to paint for Papulankutja Artists. In April 2010, Tjayanka Woods and Anmanari Brown had their first art show together. It was a solo exhibition at the Vivien Anderson Gallery in Melbourne.

Art Awards and Recognition

Tjayanka Woods has received important recognition for her art. Two of her paintings were chosen as finalists. This was for the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award. She was a finalist in both 2006 and 2008. This award is a very big honor for Indigenous artists.

The Meaning Behind Her Art

Tjayanka Woods' paintings often tell stories. Most of her artworks are about the Minyma Kutjara Tjukurpa. This means "Two Sisters Dreaming." It is her personal Dreaming story.

How She Paints Her Stories

Her paintings look like maps drawn in the sand. They show the journey of the two sisters. The path of their journey goes around the edge of the canvas. Tjayanka uses earthy colors in her art. She also uses solid and dotted lines. These lines form circles inside each other. They help to show the journeys and activities of the characters in the story.

See also

In Spanish: Tjayanka Woods para niños