Marie Yvonne Tipuamantumirri Tiwi, Australian, b. 1984

Marie Yvonne has been working with the Ngaruwanajirri group since 2003.She paints a variety of Tiwi jilamara often focusing on warnarringa jilamara (sun design) and yirripuwata (high tide design) in watercolours on paper and locally sourced ochres on paper, bark and canvas. 

Recently Marie Yvonne has been looking at books with old Tiwi bark paintings and making her own versions of these ancient designs including ampiji ilamara (rainbow serpent design) which is her totem and yuwuli jilamara (mangrove worm design). 

Marie Yvonne has also painted on hand-printed lino block designs from Ngaruwanajirri as a base for her artwork, layering her own watercolour infill over the top of the lino prints on paper. 

Marie Yvonne feels proud and happy of her work, her jilamara connecting her with Tiwi culture through her art work. and has been vice-chair of the Ngaruwanajirri committee for a number of years..