About Nyurapayia Nampitjinpa aka Mrs. Bennett
Nyurapayia is known as Mrs. Bennett Nampitjinpa. She was the wife of John John Bennett. She began painting in 1993. She now resides in Alice Springs.
Mrs. Bennett paints her mother’s Dreamings which are connected to sites at Yumarra, Wantjunga, and Tjalilli rock holes near Papunya, Pukara, Ngalkinginga, and Munkara rock holes. Nyurapayia Nampitjinpa, living at Kintore, always strove to maintain an individual style in her mark-making. This individualism resulted in Mrs. Bennett becoming one of the most respected Pupunya Tula women artists.
She is deeply concerned with women’s culture, and her designs often depict women’s ceremonies and rituals. The gathering of bush tucker such as Kampurarrpa (desert raisin) and quandong are also central themes.
Nyurapayia Nampitjijnpa was one of the great characters of the Kintore region, instrumental in the development of the Haasts Bluff/Kintore Women’s Painting Camp in 1994.
Having been exhibited widely across Australia, Singapore, and Germany, Mrs. Bennett’s work is included in the collections of the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, The Art Gallery of NSW, Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, National Gallery of Victoria and Artbank, and in corporate and private collections internationally.