Polly Jackson Butler Pawuya Australian, Ngaanyatjarra, b. 1957

Polly Pawuya Jackson is an artist belonging to the Ngaanyatjarra language and cultural group and lives in the remote community of Warakurna, Western Australia.

Pawuya was born in the bush in the 1950’s close to Partupirri (Bunglebiddy Rockhole) near Tjukurla Community in Western Australia. She spent her childhood in this area with her family, and later moved to Warakurna Community where she remains.

Pawuya’s fibre artwork is characterised by tight wrapping of brightly coloured wool and fine, embroidery-like stitching. Her highcalibre artwork was first exhibited in 2013 at the Fingers and Petals exhibition at Ellenbrook Gallery in Perth then as part of Bush Life in 2014 at Nomad Gallery in Darwin.

More recently Pawuya contributed to the wati (man/husband) sculpture to the Early Days Family artwork exhibited at Desert Mob 2016 in Alice Springs, an artwork that was then acquired by Araluen Arts Centre as part of their permanent collection.

In addition to her fibre artwork, Pawuya is a well-respected painter, represented by Warakurna Artists and has exhibited numerous times in this medium. Pawuya has two paintings held in the national collection at the National Museum of Australia, ‘Making Culture Strong’ and ‘Tjanpi’. The Tjanpi painting depicts the process of collecting grass for baskets and sculptures and represents the beautiful interrelationships between her two chosen mediums.