GLORIA PANNKA is a senior Western Arrarnta woman who lives in Thakaperte (Near Hamilton Downs). She is a second generation Hermannsburg School watercolour artist, as her father Claude Pannka was one of the original Hermannsburg School watercolour artists.

Like his contemporary Albert Namatjira, Claude developed an interest in painting when artist Rex Battarbee visited Hermannsburg in 1934. By 1950 Claude was painting full time and had become a highly sought after artist. Gloria’s father taught her to paint with watercolours when she was a young girl, and she continues to paint in the style of watercolour landscapes that typifies the Hermannsburg School tradition.
Gloria uses fine detail and subtle tones to capture the West MacDonnell Ranges where she currently lives and paints. Gloria’s work has featured in a number of exhibitions throughout her career. In 2008 she received a Highly Commended award for her painting in the NATSIAA awards which was then acquired by the NT Museum and Art Gallery. Gloria’s work ‘West MacDonnell Ranges’ was also acquired by the Parliament House Art Collection Canberra. Her paintings are exhibited in the Art Gallery of New South Wales and in many public and private collections. Gloria was again Highly Commended at the NATSIAA awards in 2014 for the collaborative Knara Nunaka Tjurretja – Our big country: the West Mac Donnell Ranges.

Group exhibitions

• 2019
  Tjina Nurna-ka, Pmarra Nurn-kanha, Itla Itla Nurn-kanha (Our family, our country, our legacy), Flinders University Art Museum, Adelaide SA
• 2019
  Pmarra Nurna-Kananhala untha-lapp-urma (Walking through country), Hazelhurst Art centre, Sydney, NSW.
• 2007
  Desert Mob Exhibition,, Araluen Galleries, Alice Springs
• 2006
  Hermannsburg School of Art –, Watercolour Exhibition, Araluen Galleries, Alice Springs
• 2006
  Desert Mob Exhibition,, Araluen Galleries, Alice Springs
• 2005
  NAIDOC Week Exhibition., The Highway Gallery, Mount Waverley, Victoria
• 2005
  Desert Mob Exhibition, Araluen Galleries, Alice Springs, Araluen Galleries, Alice Springs
• 2004
  Desert Mob Exhibition, Araluen Galleries, Alice Springs.
• 2004
  Affordable Art Exhibition,, Melbourne. Courtesy Alcaston Gallery
• 2003
  Desert Mob Exhibition, Alice Springs., Araluen Art Gallery

Collections

• 2003 Araluen Art Gallery, Alice Springs
• 2008 NT Museum and Art Gallery
• 2011 Parliament House Art Collection Canberra
• 2012 Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney
• 2016 UQ Art Museum, Brisbane
• 2016 National Museum of Australia (NMA), Canberra
• 2016 University of Technology Gallery (UTS), Sydney
• 2017 Queensland Art Gallery Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane, QLD
• 2018 Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA), SA
• 2019 Art Gallery of NSW (AGNSW), Sydney