Kathleen Paddoon (1938–2019)

In her formative years Kathleen walked around the country south of Yakka Yakka with her mother, father, brother and uncle. This included Mangkayi, her father’s country, and Ngantalarra and Nakarra Nakarra her mother’s country. They also travelled to Gordon Downs Station for rations of tea, sugar, flour, and tobacco. Kathleen commenced painting in the late 1980s and in 2002 began to emerge as a significant artist gaining recognition for her predominately red and white paintings of Nakarra Nakarra (Seven Sisters’ Tjukurrpa) and the country associated with this story. She was the senior Law woman and custodian of the Nakarra Nakarra (Seven Sisters’ Dreaming) songs and ceremonies from the country south of Yakka Yakka.