Dianne Inkamala (b. 1971) is a promising new watercolour artist at the Iltja Ntjarra Art Centre. Dianne paints alongside her sisters Vanessa, Delray and brother Reinhold Inkamala who are also watercolour artists. Dianne has worked with dot painting and painting on silk but is developing her skills with watercolour so she can continue her profession as an artist.
I have 6 brothers and sister, I am number 4. My sister Vanessa Inkamala and Reninhold Inkamala are both painters at the art centre. A long time ago I used to do dot painting and I use to paint on Silk. I like learning to paint with watercolours and I will try to become a professional artist.
Archives: Artists
SAM-synced artist profiles.
Betty Namatjira Wheeler
Betty is a senior Western Aranda and Luritja woman who lives on an outstation near Ntaria/Hermannsburg. She is the mother of four daughters including artist Joanne Wheeler and is the wife of artist and Pastor, Marcus Wheeler. Betty is a direct granddaughter of Albert Namatjira and was raised by Albert and his wife Rubina from the age of three.
I was born in 1949. My mother, Martha Namatjira, was Western Aranda and my father was Luritja.
I first lived with my mother, grandfather Albert, grandmother Rubina, great grandfather Johnathan who was Albert’s father and my uncles Oscar, Enos, Keith, Ewald and Morris in the old Namatjira house that my grandfather Albert built.
After my mother passed away, we all moved from that house into Ntaria/Hermannsburg.
My grandfather and grandmother grew me up but they often took me to see my father’s family at Haasts Bluff, Glen Helen Station and Papunya.
My grandfather travelled around a lot to go painting and sometimes he would take me out on painting trips with him. Me and my cousins would go and play while he was painting. I have good memories of those times.
When I started school I moved in with Maisie, Albert’s daughter and her husband Benjamin Landara.
I first started to learn to draw with colour pencils in school. As I grew up I started to try watercolour painting, watching my grandfather and uncles paint.
I met my husband, Marcus when I was in school. When I left school we were married. We then started to paint together.- Betty Wheeler Namatjira
Kathy Inkamala
Kathy is a Western Aranda woman, born in Ntaria (at the Hermannsburg mission), and now living in Mparntwe (Alice Springs). When Kathy was a child, growing up, she used to look at her father Clifford Inkamala, a successful watercolour artist, paint landscape watercolours. Kathy’s mother was a craftswoman. She sawed, used crochets, and created placemats from native bean seeds for decoration. Kathy decided when she was younger that she would like to continue this artistic tradition.
Today, Kathy is inspired by native bush flowers and bush tucker in the Northern Territory area. In 2017 Kathy obtained a certificate 4 in visual art from the Batchelor institute and the following year she was the recipient of the NATSIAA award for Works on Paper.
Kathy’s grandmother is Albert Namatjira’s sister, and Dellina Inkamala, who also paints at Iltja Ntjarra Art Centre is Kathy’s niece.
Kathy says about herself: I am eager to learn new skills as a watercolourists and continue this process whenever I can. When I complete a watercolour painting I feel very proud about my work. The country I paint is important to me because it’s my father’s country.
The country I paint is important to me because it’s my father’s country.’ – Kathy Inkamala
Special Projects:
2019 Lumen Prints Workshop with AGNSW, Sydney, NSW
2019 Cicada press etching workshop, Sydney, NSW
2024 Group installation, Parrtjima, Festival of Light, Alice Springs
2025 Group installation, Parrtjima, Festival of Light, Alice Springs
Hubert Pareroultja
HUBERT PAREROULTJA (dec) a senior Western Aranda-Luritja man who lives in his homeland, Kulpitharra / Luntharra outstation west of Hermannsburg (Ntaria).
Hubert has been painting landscape watercolours since he was a young boy thus following in the footsteps of his father Reuben Pareroultja and Uncles Otto and Edwin Pareroultja. Reuben, Otto and Edwin were part of the original Hermannsburg School watercolour movement and were all acclaimed artists.
When Hubert was a kid he watched the original Hermannsburg School watercolour artist Albert Namatjira and his father and uncles as they painted. Hubert paints many of the same locations that Namatjira and the Pareroultja brothers painted in particular Hermannsburg, Mt Sonder/Rutjipma and James Range. Hubert lives and works in the Western MacDonnell Ranges to this day. His work is displayed in many important collections.
Marcus Wheeler
Marcus(dec) a senior law man and pastor in Ntaria (Hermannsburg). He is married to Betty Namatjira Wheeler (Albert Namatjira’s granddaughter) and lives with his extended family on an outstation near Ntaria. Marcus paints the country of his home land including Uruna Tjina (James Range) and Lirahpintja (Finke River). Marcus represented Iltja Ntjarra Art Centre at the 2017 Tarnanthi festival in Adelaide, where he launched the event in the Western Aranda language and exhibited four paintings of sites in Tjoritja (the West MacDonnell Ranges). Marcus’s work is held in significant public collections including the Art Gallery of South Australia and the National Museum of Australia.
I first started to paint when I married my wife, Betty Namatjira Wheeler, granddaughter of Albert Namatjira. I would sit with her and her uncles, Osar, Enos, Ewald, Keith and Morris and watch them paint. I then started to try and do it myself. I really enjoyed it so I kept going. Betty and I started to paint together and help one another and it’s something we still both enjoy doing together. We often sit down with our grandchildren and show them how to paint and hope that they will keep painting to carry on the Hermannsburg School tradition. – Marcus Wheeler
Delray Inkamala
Delray was born and grew up at Hermannsburg. She is the 3rd sibling of 5 from her parents Edmund Inkamala and Barbara Pareroultja (Ivy Pareroultja Sister). Her grandmother Clara was sister to Albert Namatjira.
Delray is an emerging watercolour artist, her sister Vanessa and brother Reinhold have both been painting here at the art centre for many years. They encouraged Delray to come and start painting with them.
She is a current board member for Iltja Ntjarra Corporation.
Ivy Pareroultja
Ivy Pareroultja (deceased) was born at Hermannsburg in 1952, the daughter of well-known watercolour artist Edwin Pareroultja. Her father and his two brothers Reuben and Otto were part of the original Hermannsburg Watercolour movement and were all skilled watercolour artists. As a young woman, Ivy learnt painting in this style and developed a gift for watercolour landscapes.
Ivy moved to Alice Springs in 1994 and continues to paint in the tradition of her father and uncles. Her work uses bold colours successfully creating emotive depictions of the Central Desert landscape. Ivy’s work is extremely popular and has been acquired by institutions such as the Art Gallery of New South Wales and the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory.
Projects and Prizes:
• 2011 – 2014 The Namatjira Play, Big hart production
• 2014 Public Art, Mural at the Alice Plaza, Alice Springs
• 2014 31st Telstra Prize, Knara Nunaka Tjurretja – Our Big Country: The West MacDonnell Ranges, Highly commended
• 2014 Featured artist, Dobell Art Prize, Art Gallery of NSW
• 2015 Tjukurpa Diary’s Cover, IAD Press
• 2016 Parrtjima, Festival of Light, Alice Springs (Ground projection)
• Featured artist at the Enough is Enough drink drive campaign, MACC
Kathleen France
Kathleen is learning to paint watercolor at Many Hands art centre and enjoys coming here with her sisters, Noreen and Clara.
Her grandmother Clara was Albert Namatjira’s sister.
Kathleen’s description of the artists in her family:
Our Uncle is Adolf Inkamala, he was a watercolour artist. Our dad was Gerhard Inkamala. Vanessa’s fathers was Edmund Inkamala. Our young uncle was Russell Inkamala, Sophia’s father was Clifford Inkamala. They all were watercolour artists from the same mom & dad. They all learnt how to paint from their uncle Albert.