Virginia Napaljarri Sims Australian, Warlpiri, b. 1998

Virginia Napaljarri Sims was born in Royal Perth Hospital, a long way from her home in Nyirripi, aremote aboriginal community located approximately 430 km from Alice Springs in the NorthernTerritory of Australia. She is the granddaughter of Ena Nakamarra Gibson, a major Warlpiriartist. Virgina grew up in Nyirripi but later was sent to Cairns to finish her schoolat DjarragunCollege. She completed Year 10 before returning home.Although she was taught art at school it was her Grandmother that inspired her to paint. Whenshe was young she would listen to her grandmother’s jukurrpa and watch her paint. Shebegan painting with Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation, an Aboriginal owned andgoverned art centre located in Yuendumu and Nyirripi, in 2017. She paints herGrandmother’sMina Mina Jukurrpa(Mina Mina Dreaming–Ngalyipi)-a very importantwomen’s dreaming site west of Nyirripi near Lake Mackay and the WA border. These storieshave been passed down to her by her grandmother and her grandmother’s mother before herfor millennia. Virginia loves colour and uses an unrestricted palette and enjoys painting patternsto depict her jukurrpa.Virginia is married to Brad James and when she is not painting she loves cleaning house,watching movies and cooking shows on TV