Collection: Lily Karedada

Date of Birth : c.1937
Country : Kimberly
Language : Tjarintji / Woonambal

Lily Karedada was born in the bush, around the prince regent river in the East Kimberly.  Her bush name, Mindindil, means Bubbles from the water, referring tot he time when her Father 'found' her spirit coming from the water.  He passed away when she was very young.  Lily paints the Wandjina, the creator spirit, which she learnt to paint by her mother.  Her other totems are the turkey, possum, and white cockatoo.

Lily lives at Kulumbaru in the far north of the Kimberley with her husband, painter, Jack Karedada, they have 10 children. She paints both on bark and canvas and uses traditional ochres that are gathered from the land and creek beds and natural glue binders taken from the trees.

Wandjina are found painted on many of the walls of caves, they created the elements, land land forms, plants and animals. Usually the Wandjina are depicted in a veil of dots representing the rain generated by the spirit, and the blood/water bond between man and nature.

Lily’s brother, the late Geoffrey Mangalamarra was the creator of the famous “Cyclone Tracy” balga, a public ceremony that had a great impact on the contemporary development of Kimberley art.

Lily is a respected and major artist of the Kimberley region, her work is collected both nationally and internationally by galleries, museums and private collectors.