Molly Miller Australian, Pitjantjatjara, c. 1948-2023

Molly (Nampitjin) Miller was born 'a bush baby', circa 1948.  She grew up in the Warburton mission for her schooling and lived in a dormitory with all the other girls. Her family stayed in the camp at the mission.  She married and her husband took her back to Amata where she stayed and had five children.  Mrs Miller is a strong and founding figure for Ninuku and a respected elder within Kalka community.  She comes from a strong artistic family, her brother and sister are  Pantjiti Mary Mclean, Jimmy Donegan and Elaine Lane from Blackstone.

She was one of the first women to learn basket making at the NPY Womens Council workshop in 1995 and has been a prolific weaver ever since. She is credited with introducing raffia to stitch baskets in place of jute string or wool. Raffia is now the most commonly used binding material in baskets.

Molly's work demonstrates a high level of skill and expertise. Her baskets are large and evenly shaped and coiled. She has an eye for decoration often creating striped patterns with the coloured raffia and sometimes adding seeds and feathers. She has been making sculptures for a number of years and is famed for her large solid long legged ngintaka. Molly has exhibited her work in numerous exhibitions within Australia. Molly is also a strong leader in her small community and is active on many councils. Her two sisters are the famous painter Pantjiti Maclean and fibre artist and painter Elaine Lane.