Aboriginal artist Janet Long Nakamarra grew up living a traditional life in Warntapari, Central Australia. Traditional dot art was in her family and her aunts and uncles' artistic influence had a ripple effect on her too…
Janet has a unique style of telling stories through her artwork. She focuses on water, an ex’stream’ly precious commodity in many parts of arid Aboriginal Australia. But she goes against the flow, depicting water from a topographical view of the land.
(Examples of topographical maps)
In her designs, she focuses on the view from above and how water interacts with a place in its entirety.
(Left to right by Janet Long Nakamarra: "Underground Water", "Water Dreaming", "Underground Water")
This particular design tells the story of Sandy Creek in the Northern Territory of Australia where Aboriginal people have lived for thousands of years.
("Sandy Creek" by Janet Long Nakamarra)
Here, Janet springs forth a story of Sandy Creek’s water flow. She depicts waterfalls cascading from the sandstone landscape and soaking into these surrounding lands and the travels her ancestors made to access this water. The small grey arches depict ancestors stopping to meet around newly discovered waterholes. As a culture so focused on oral communication, they never mist an opportunity for a gathering!
So what better way to celebrate the Aboriginal culture than to test these waters with a new Australia Tote…
Here’s to stories worth pond’ering and to feeling good—because after all, it's Friday!
-Jack & Alley, Co-Founders