Media Release

9 March 2011

Roebourne artist to paint live in Manly

Bringing Aboriginal art to life, June Peters, from the Roebourne Art Group, will be painting live at Gallery Tjukurrpa in Manly from 11am “ 5pm Friday 18 “ Sunday 20 March.

June was born on Texas Downs Station in Kununurra (Kimberleys) Western Australia in 1962. She has eight children and now lives in Roebourne with her partner. She was taught to paint in ochre by the famous ochre artist, Lena Nyabi, and has painted collaborative works with well known Warmun artist Tommy Carroll. Through her extended family June is able to paint the vast expanse of her country, the Gidja land. June now paints mainly acrylic on canvas.

June’s work has been exhibited in Vancouver and in Toronto and is prized for its minimalist and precise style.

Gallery Tjukurrpa, Manly’s newest Aboriginal art gallery, specialises in supporting art from community groups throughout Australia.

The Sydney market is saturated with galleries carrying the work of mainstream artists, so I was looking for something new, fresh and different, explained Melina Shirvanian, owner of Gallery Tjukurrpa.

I looked at about 110 aboriginal community art groups and selected 10 that I wanted to work with. The Roebourne Art Group, which June Peter’s represents, was definitely one of them! she added.

Many of the artists we represent at Gallery Tjukurrpa could be said to be reshaping our traditional ideas surrounding Aboriginal art. Like any culture, Aboriginal culture is continuously in a state of renewal.

While many people associate Aboriginal art with dot paintings, the more abstract styles that you see in Gallery Tjukurrpa reflect this dynamic shift. June Peters is one such artist whose work is a bold, minimalist representation of country. We’re thrilled to have her come to the gallery to give our customers the opportunity to see first hand the creative process of Aboriginal Art, concluded Melina.

Roebourne Art Group, in the heart of the Pilbara in Western Australia, represents over 70 artists from Ngarluma, Yindjibarndi, Guruma, Banjyima and Marthuthunira communities. RAG was established in 2005 to support the growing arts industry in the West Pilbara, and has rapidly grown to become a leading aboriginal owned and managed art centre in Western Australia.
Gallery Tjukurrpa is located at Shop 15, The Corso, Manly.
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For more information contact: Cherise Asmah- info@tjukurrpa.com or 0422058575