Magda Nakamarra Curtis Australian, Walpiri, b. 1983

Magda Nakamarra Curtis was born in Alice Springs Hospital, and spent most of her childhoodat Nyirripi, a remote Aboriginal community located 450 km north-west of Alice Springs in theNT of Australia. She attended her local school, then Yirara College, an Aboriginal boardingcollege in Alice Springs. Magda continued her studies at Bachelor College before travellingaround the Kimberleys in WA. On her travels she stayed at Balgo, where she first startedpainting when she was 19 years old. Magda is married to Paul Nelson and now lives in Nyirripi.When Magda returned home to her family she beganpainting with the Warlukurlangu Artists in2004. Her mother Kelly Napanangka Michaels, who lives in Yuendumu and her Aunty AliceNampijinpa Henwood Michaels, who lives in Nyirripi also paint with Warlukurlangu Artists andhave been painting there since 1987 and 1989 respectively. Warlukurlangu Artists AboriginalCorporation is an Aboriginal owned and governed art centre located in Yuendumu. As a childliving in Nyirripi, Magda would often watch her grandmothers and grandfathers paint and listento them as they told her stories of their country. Her Grandparents have passed away sincebut her Big Sister Mary Anne Nampijinpa Michaels is like a Grandmother to her. She likespainting her Bib Sister’s dreaming, Lappi Lappi Jukurrpa, a rock hole in country belonging toher grandmother. Besides painting Lappi Lappi Jukurrpa, Magda paints her Ngapa Jukurrpa(Water Dreaming) Jajiidi Jukurrpa (Western Quoll Dreaming) and Wardapi Jukurrpa (GoannaDreaming), Dreamings which relate directly to her land, its features and animals. When notpainting Magda loves spendingtime hunting for goannas and traditional bush foods in thecountryside around Nyirripi and Yuendumu