Scrunchie in Charlie Wanti

“My name is Emma MacNeill and I am a Yamatji Martu artist from Western Australia. I was born and raised in he the Kimberley’s in a small town called Kununurra. There I was living a life most people dream of, whether it was visiting the breath-taking waterholes/waterfalls nearby or skiing on the might Ord river.

As an artist my memories of those days are still alive and strongly portrayed in my artwork.

Majority of my family are from Meekatharra in the western desert, where today we still encourage lore and culture. Along the rabbit fence my art portrays beautiful red sand and the connection of our land and people. I am blessed to feel the warmth of the desert and the cold of the fresh water, which has helped me create and inspire.

My custom Budgies were inspired by my life up in the Kimberley’s. It is called “waterholes” growing up we were no strangers to a roaring storm, heavy thunder and days of rain. It also created excitement as we knew the waterholes would be overflowing, the circles represent the waterholes and water falls we visited once the roads opened. The paths (lines) in between each represents the red dirt roads we travelled to find them.

These waterholes were my childhood and brought out community together”

Artwork by Charlie Wanti  @CharlieWanti