Lookyhere ......

Anthony from Papulankutja has just send this down ..... woohoo! A must go to, the beautiful Cliff Reid on show in Melbourne.

a heavy heart!

This week a dear old friend, Boxer Milner,a man of country died.

I will quote our mutual friend Tim as there are no words I can say that would be better.

"I saw him in April…and while he was being well looked after at frail aged, it was obvious he had already half gone back to country. He told me he was ‘properly buggered’ and I know I wouldn’t see him again. So, while it’s no surprise, it is still a shock and an enormous loss. That Sturt Ck country is crying for that boss…."

Oh joy, Oh rapture........!

The web site is up and running again ... I can not believe the run around. Still all is well that ends well.

Anthony and I have commenced the hand over process. I still have jobs to do to finalize the building funding and end of year stuff, so I am still muddling with that. Anthony is turning the art centre into a functioning unit. He is fortunate to be working with Madeleine the new Outreach worker for Wingellina and Jameson.

Next week we start the training work and gathering people for work at Jameson and Wingellina. We are getting wonderful support from Desart and Ngaanyatjarra council. Such exciting times!

The year is closing and I am trying to get organized for christmas holidays and for the January hand over of Papulankutja Artists to Anthony. I just do not seem to be able to get it everything done.

I have found that the Papulankutja Artists website is not working, there seems to be three entities involved in the thing being up there, AMS software, Smartyhost the web hosting entity and Icarus Industrial Design who developed the web and seem now to have a part it in staying up there, none of these guys seem to think the problem is theirs ... I have not had the time or the energy to do the level of chasing that is required and of course with christmas holidays on the horizon it is difficult to get hold of anyone or get anything done.

We have had the blessing of rain which also has the down side of buggering up the roads. There have been three significant rain storms, so the roads emediate to Blackstone are a mess and to add to the difficulties there are large transport vehicles bogged in the middle of the roads which at times prevent through traffic as detour ends in further vehicles getting bogged.

Toby took my toyota ute out with a load of my 6 years accumulation and he got bogged at one of the transport bogging sites, he had a dreadful trip out but made it OK althought exhausted.

I have been a bit nervous about the trip, just did not want to find myself bogged with no help. Simon the mechanic from Warakurna wanted to get to the Rock to fly home to Perth for Christmas and had work to do on Blackstone vehicles, so he decided to make us his last port of call for work and then drive out with me. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

He finaly made it to Blackstone late on Monday night, no work possible on the vehicles. We headed out pretty well straight away. 22ks down the road we bogged the troupie.






After many hours digging and a fitfull attempt at sleeping in the bog with the mozzies, Simon decided to walk back to Blackstone to get help.

While Simon was walking a lovely couple of fellas from Mimilie stopped by and very cleverly towed the troupie out ... and I do mean very cleverly. I had come to the conclusion the vehicle would not come out, it took the guys quite an effort and I am very grateful to them.

I drove the vehicle back to Blackstone to find Simon and we headed out again. I asked Brad to ring my daugher and let her know we were ok but I would be late getting home. All in all we spent 16 hours in the bog. We finally got to the Rock at about 9.30 on Tuesday night. Both of us caked in mud, hungry and exhausted.

A quick rearrange of the flight bookings and I fell into bed for a big sleep. I still had to sort the computer which I had left with Neville in Alice and the yultju money for Cliff and Ruby ... not sure how I would do thatI headed to the airport for leg one to alice. Good old Neville came out to the airport in Alice to sort the computer for me and Cliff and Ruby did the same. It was lovely to see them, a little teary we hugged and yet again I was reminded of what I would be leaving behind in January.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!



Nadia, Rosie, Sharina, Katherine, Marcia, Socoway and Angela at the art centre Christmas party.

Sara Twigg Patterson sent us some wonderful new Tshirts for the artists and it was great fun trying them on and then, of course, taking the necessary photos.




Anthony our new manager quited himself well at the BBQ. The mob definitely think they are on a winner with this one.




Wipu my dog, has given Anthony the thumbs up.



Sandy the Home and Community Care coordinator for Ng Lands, joined us for lunch.



While the mob are gathered around the BBQ looking for tucka, Joy is inside enjoying the gale force winds coming from the cooler.



Nadia thought she would like to do a solo model of her new T Shirt and show off her lovely fingernail polish.



Sharine decided a bit more colour should go to the T shirt parade.



Nemo thought air conditioned comfort on the couch with the Jean Lane Spinifex Tjitji, was his best option.

and

Dianna is thinking an early night will be the go.

Photos of the Papulankutja Artists works (enhanced by a little Tjanpi display) at the Melbourne launch of Western Desert Mob.

Photos by Tim Acker.






I was deeply dissapointed not to be there and am most grateful to Tim for providing these shots for me and you to enjoy.

I hope to drop by Melbourne in January to check it out for myself.

I just could not resist showing this picture. Is this woman gorgeous or what!

Angilyiya Mitchell with her beautiful big basket. I am wondering how I am going to get that one into the Tjanpi office. It was such a joy taking this picture, Angilyiya is so pleased with this work and her beautiful husband was sitting to one side just beaming with affection and pride. These two are a wonderful couple and just being in the room with them is a great pleasure.



Angilyiya has been talking of this basket for some time, she has been scrounging materials from every which way, for binding the grass. Her mother is unwell and Angilyiya has been working at home, keeping an eye on Mrs. Brown but always working. She is now working on a painting, a Seven Sisters story. She is such a craftswoman, innovative and always pushing the envelope with her art.