Kathy Maringka

Image description: The rug is taken from an original painting. This painting is part of the recent emergence of exciting work emerging from the Katjiti Arts Centre. This painting is described as Walka, a style of work unique to the Aboriginal women artists of the Pitjantjatjara/Yankunytjatjara Lands, in remote north west South Australia. Walka refers any meaningful mark or pattern, and is the work used to describe body paint used during traditional Imna or dance ceremonies. Country and culture give Kaltjit Arts works distinctive ingredients that unite them as community creations. Project: These beautiful, unique rugs are a cross-cultural collaboration combining Aboriginal designs and traditional Kashmiri rug-making techniques. Chain stitched, using hand dyed wool and finished with a heavy cotton backing, each rug is a completely handmade piece. This project, although in its early stages, is already bringing noticeable benefit to the artists and the community. Purchase of these rugs guarantees a direct return to the Aboriginal artists, as the project is an initiative of Kaltjiti, their own art organisation. Artist: Kathy Maringka is from Fregon on the Anangu Pitjantjatjara/Yankunytjatjara Lands, 350km south east of Uluru. Her painting medium is acrylic on canvas with subjects relating to traditional foods and the abstract ‘walka’ – abstract images – a style unique to the region. Fabric is her primary medium, working with the technique of batik.