“I used to go all the time to Kwale Kwale to see my sister. I used to see all the pretty birds and spikey echidnas when I was there. When I was little girl we did lot of walking round collecting all the bush foods with my sister and my Grandmother and all my family. We were really happy back then." ~ Dulcie Sharpe

Featuring artwork by Dulcie Sharpe, these high quality canvas totes bags accompany the artists first solo show at Laundry Gallery called TJULPU TJUTA; TJILKAMATA TJUTA!

DETAILS

• Material: 12oz Cotton (405gsm)
• Size: 38 x 42cm 
• Internal Pocket: 20cm x 14cm 
  
• Handles: 65 x 3.5cm 

ARTIST 

Dulcie Sharpe is an award-winning multidisciplinary artist. Her work is held in private and public collections around Australia and she has been a finalist numerous awards including the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Awards 

Dulcie Sharpe was born at Hamilton Downs in 1957 and spent many years growing up there. Her mother was from Papunya and she is a Luritja speaker. Sharpe went to school at Kwale Kwale and says her happiest memories are playing every day after school in the bush and swimming when there was water. 

It was Sharpe’s grandmother, Old Laddie, who taught her everything about culture: how to find honey ants, bush tucker, dancing, language. Sharpe has been coming to the Yarrenyty Arltere Learning Centre since 2000 when she helped set it up as a place for her community to get well again from the chronic social issues it was facing. Sharpe wanted to create a safe place for the kids and for the adults to find new pathways into the future by holding on strongly to culture and learning together. Sharpe says she loves sewing.

She sews after work on the weekend and even in hospital. Sharpe has now started doing ink on paper, following her sister Trudy Inkamala with this medium. Her images on paper speak of her sculptures and are a beautiful transition from one skill to another. She is a respected elder of the community and a positive role model for other artists.