Born at Vaughan Springs, Jack Tjupurrula was the senior custodian of Mawitji, a major Possum Dreaming site, where Jack spent his boyhood. Jack worked for most of his adult life as a stockman at stations across the Centre before settling in Papunya, where he lived for many years. He painted intermittently in the 1970s. He was the uncle of Michael Nelson, who gained early experience of the medium of paint on canvas working on the older man’s paintings. His paintings depict Possum and Flying Ant Dreamings and the Tangapurra Namanpurra story about the activities of a family group in the region of his traditional country.

Writers:

Johnson, Vivien Note: Primary biographer

Date written:

1994

Last updated:

2011