Artist: Judy Watson Napangardi
Born: c 1935
Language: Waanyi   
Area: Yarungkanji, Mount Doreen Station

Judy Watson was born at Yarungkanji, Mt. Doreen Station, around 1935, at the time when many Warlpiri and other Central and Western Desert Peoples were living a traditional nomadic life. With her family Judy made many trips on foot to her country and lived for long periods at Mina Mina and Yingipurlangu, her ancestral country on the border of the Tanami and Gibson Deserts. These places are rich in bush tucker such as wanakiji, bush plums, yakajirri, bush tomatoes, and wardapi, sand goanna. Judy still frequently goes hunting in the country west of Yuendumu, near her homelands.

Judy was taught painting by her elder sister, Maggie Napangardi Watson. She painted alongside her at Warlukurlangu art centre for a number of years, developing her own unique style.

Though a very tiny woman Judy has had ten children, two of whom she has outlived. She is a woman of incredible energy, this is transmitted to her work through her dynamic use of colour, and energetic 'dragged dotting' style. She is at the forefront of a move towards more abstract rendering of Jukurrpa by Warlpiri artists, however her work retains strong kurruwarri, the details which tell of the sacredness of place and song in her culture.

Selected Exhibitions:
1990 Darwin Performing Arts Centre, Darwin.
1990 'Women's Exhibition'. The Women's Gallery, Melbourne.
1991 Darwin Performing Arts Centre, Darwin.
1992 Hogarth Gallery of Dreams, Sydney.
1993 Bellas Gallery, Brisbane.
1993 Northern Territory Art Award, Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs.
1993 CINAFE (Chicago International New Art Forms Exposition), U.S.A.
1994 Armstrong Gallery, Florida.
1994 "Echoes of the Dreamtime", Osaka, Japan.
1995 SOFA, Miami, U.S.A.
1995 SOFA, Chicago, U.S.A.
1997 Hogarth Gallery, Sydney.
1998 Art Gallery "Culture Store" Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
1998 'Kurrawarri - Kirli', Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne.
1998 Framed Gallery, Darwin.
1998 Japingka Gallery, Perth.
1999 Desert Mob Show, Araluen Centre, Alice Springs.
1999 'Mina Mina', Hogarth Galleries, Sydney.
2000 Beaver Galleries, Canberra.
2000 Kurawari, Desart Gallery, Sydney.
2000 Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne.
2000 'Journey to the North West', Palya Art, Sydney.
2002 'Warlukurlangu Artists of Yuendumu', Jeffrey Moose Gallery, Seattle USA.
2002 'Warlukurlangu Artists of Yuendumu' ,One Union Square Lobby, Seattle, USA.
2002 'New Paintings from Yuendumu' Rebecca Hossack Gallery, London
2002 'Warlukurlangu Collection' Parliament House, Canberra.
2002 Bellas Gallery, Brisbane.
2004 Yilpinji - Love Magic and Ceremony, Japingka Gallery, Fremantle
2005 "Karnta Jukurrpa", Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne
2005 "Warlukurlangu Artists of Yuendumu", Japingka Gallery, Fremantle