Carlene Thompson (Pitjantjatjara / Yankunytjara)

Sunshine Coast National Art Prize 2025 - Finalist

_{Image courtesy of the artist and Emabella Arts}

Artist Statement

This is an artwork about birds and their chicks. Carlene often paints birds, as tjulpu tjukurpa (bird dreaming) is related to her family's country which is near Kanypi in the Western APY Lands. As a mother of several children, family themes are common in Carlene's work. People call her Tjulpu Thompson, and she says, ‘like I did with my children, I now raise chicks every day on canvas and in clay in my work’.