Water Dreaming with Water Man – 1971 Painted using synthetic
polymer powder paint on 44 x 22.5 cm
composition wood. The lateral painting is composed of various curved, red-orange lines which converge onto a central line that runs down the center of the painting. The base color of the painting is some form of black or dark brown. Three open circles, of similar width and color as the lines, are present and intercept the central line (one at the start, one in the center, and one at the bottom of the line). Six more open circles appear in between the curved the lines with three situated on either side of the central line at the same height as those along the center line. At the bottom of the painting lies a "U" shape, following the same construction as the other lines, which opens upwards toward the center line. Littered across the canvas, in-between all of the lines, are white dots of varying shapes and sizes. The painting is a depiction of a "Water Man" who is calling for the rainfall. The lines which traverse the painting are symbols of running water which link the waterholes represented by the open circles. The dots represent the falling rain. The painting shares similar elements to that of other Water Dreaming paintings in that the ceremonial Water Man sings to beckon the rain which then flows into the waterholes from which the Papunya people get their water. The simplistic style of this painting is invocative of early Papunya sand drawings and body painting.
Women's Dreaming – 1973 Painted using
poster paint with
PVA Bondcrete glue on a roughly 70 x 40 cm
hardboard. The multi-faceted artwork is painted using warm, earth tones. A closely packed, wavy lines run down the center of the vertical painting and end a group of concentric circles. Semicircle lines lie on either side of the central lines with their open side facing the center. Towards the lateral edges of the painting lie more semicircles which surround long, decorated rods. In-between the two sets of semicircles on the right side of the painting are human and
wallaby tracks. At the bottom of the painting are smaller concentric circles surrounded by more semicircles and another large, intricate rod. Several dots of paint in various colors cover the painting. The painting depicts a large number of women, represented by semicircles, sitting around ceremonial sticks, represented by the long rods. The central wavy lines depict flowing water and the concentric circles in which they converge represent a waterhole. The tracks are that of the Wallaby Man and wallabies. The concentric circles and semicircles at the bottom represent women sitting around fires. At the very bottom of the page lies a ceremonial object. The painting serves as a collection of various ceremonial iconography. The painting shows a crossover between the
bush tucker stories of Wallaby Men in search of wallaby and the sitting women performing a water ceremony.
Children's Dreaming – 1973 Painted using poster paint with PVA glue on a roughly 58 x 40 cm hardboard. The painting is dominated by a large human figure whose limbs are outstretched towards the corners of the painting. The figure is painted in black with dots and stripes of color comprising its shirt and face. At the tip of the figure's extremities lie concentric circles. A myriad of grouped lines are scattered about the painting. More concentric circles are placed around the figure with groups of lines connecting the circles. Several ovular shapes are strewn about the painting and contain intricate designs. The empty spaces of the painting are filled with lines, dashes, and dots of paint. The painting is of the Teacher Ceremonial Man performing a performance. The concentric circles and lines which connect them represent a dreaming map. The Teacher Ceremonial Man is surrounded by
bullroarers which aid in his performance which tells of his dreaming journey across the dreaming map. The simplified figure and message of the painting lends to its function as a children's story element. == Legacy ==