Napangardi was the first professional female desert painter amidst the Luritija and
Warlpiri people, learning techniques from the desert art founders. Learning from the renowned Indigenous Australian artists, Johny Warangula and Kaapa, she began to develop her own technique through the application of multi-coloured dots. Although she observed the men's painting business there, she is one of the rare women associated with Papunya Tula who did not serve an apprenticeship with the men. In 1983, Napangardi commenced her work with Papunya Tula Artists and by the late 1980s, had established herself as a leading female artist. She sold her works independently in
Alice Springs at first and in 1989 she won the
National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award. ==Collections==