Tess Napaljarri Ross Australian, Warlpiri, b. 1949

Tess Napaljarri Ross was born close to Yuendumu, on a cattle station East of Yuendumu. Shewas named Daisy. When she was a little girl her family moved to Yuendumu, an Aboriginalsettlement 290 kms north-west of Alice Springs. Shortly after moving to Yuendumu her fatherdied and her mother later remarried. Herstepfather, Larry Jungarrayi Spencer who was one orthe artists who painted the Yuendumu Doors, taught her the patterns and designs of YarriPirlangu, a place south of Yuendumu. She attended the local Yuendumu School and thentrained as a teacher assistant through Batchelor College in Darwin. After she finished hertraining she returned to Yuendumu and has been actively involved in the school Two-Wayteaching program which is devoted to maintaining the indigenous Warlpiri culture and languagein the community. Tess hasalso worked as a translator and helped to translate the YuendumuDoors Book for IATSIS press. She is married and has one daughter, Lizzie Ross with her firsthusband, Jack Jakamarra Ross. She is very involved with her large extended family and thecommunity in various programs. She has worked with Birds of Australia setting up a birdsanctuary in New Haven, 80 kms north-east of Yuendumu. Tess is one of the earlier paintersof Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation, an Aboriginal owned and governed artcentreestablished in 1985 and located in Yuendumu. Tess first learnt art at school and when theCentre opened asked what she could paint. It was the Yarri Pirlangu patterns and designswhich she still incorporates into her Jukurrpa stories toda