Biddy Long Yulngarri

Bush Vine Dreaming - Ngalyipi Jukurrpa

2017

Biddy Long is a traditional woman bringing years of bush living and travelling to her painting. Her early life was with other Warlpiri on Mt Doreen cattle station when her family wasn't travelling around their lands. She has worked for many years teaching Warlpiri language and culture to children in the school's bilingual education program. Her initial medium was ochre when painting onto the body for ceremonies, and she still practices this, as well as painting with acrylic onto canvas and linen. Biddy Long delights in the variations of acrylic colours now available to her. Her sister Lily Nungarrayi Jurrah/Hargraves was also a committed artist and they often painted together. She began painting in 1986 in Lajamanu after a TAFE course introduced the community to acrylic and canvas. Biddy Long's paintings have been widely exhibited in Australia and are held in major national collections.