Sculpture | Papa (dog) | Trudy Nyurpaya Holland Smythe | Tjanpi | 60 x 26 x 20cm

This gorgeous Papa (dog) sculpture has been handmade by Trudy Nyurpaya Holland Smythe, an artist from the remote community of Warakurna in Western Australia. Featuring rich burgundy and yellow tones, and a characterful cheeky dog pose- this is a truly special piece of First Nations art.

Weaving with fibre in this way has become a fundamental part of Central and Western desert culture and draws on the traditional practice of making manguri rings - a ring worn on the head made of grasses and cloth.  Here we see traditional weaving techniques re-framed using a mix of traditional and contemporary materials - including wool! The result is a strikingly bold and colourful sculptural piece with layers of historical significance.

Tjanpi Desert Weavers is an aboriginal owned social enterprise that works with over 400 Anangu/Yarnangu women artists from 26 remote communities across the remote Central and Western desert regions. Tjanpi artists use native grasses, wool, string, seeds and feathers to make spectacular contemporary fibre art, weaving beautiful baskets and sculptures and displaying endless creativity and inventiveness. While out collecting desert grasses, women visit sacred sights and traditional homelands, hunt and gather food for their families and teach their children about country.

Details:
60 x 26 x 20cm
Materials: Tjanpi (grasses) Raffia and wool
To view all the Tjanpi sculptures and baskets we have available click HERE

More about Trudy Nyurpaya Holland Smythe: 
Trudy Nyurpaya Holland Smythe is an artist belonging to the Ngaanyatjarra language and cultural group. Trudy?s primarily focuses on depicting local Central Desert animals and traditional artefact-shapes using the traditional Tjanpi materials, wool, raffia and Minarri grass. "It's good to sit down and do it", Trudy Nyurpaya Holland speaking about why she weaves.

Trudy is part of an incredibly artistic family, with both her mother Nora Holland and daughter Ms Smythe, well-known Tjanpi Artists. Following her career at the Warakurna Women?s Centre, Trudy became an acrylic painter, and took up weaving in 2015 when her daughter Dallas won the Port Hedland Art Prize with a Tjanpi artwork. Trudy attributes a large part of her weaving knowledge to her daughter, who taught her to weave during relaxed evenings at home.

Please note: measurements are approximate due to the 3D nature of Tjanpi baskets and sculptures.