Born: 1959

Language: Alyawarr

Region: Utopia, Northern Territory

Joy Kngwarrey Jones’ inspiration for her paintings is derived from her knowledge of Awely or women’s business. Awely describes everything associated with women’s ceremonies or rituals including the painted designs adorning the women’s bodies.

In preparation for the ceremonies, the women paint designs on the top half of their body using a variety of powders, ground from charcoal and yellow and red ochre. The body paint designs vary from ceremony to ceremony and depend on the subject and the time of year the ceremony is held. Different symbols are painted on the body and may vary from person to person depending on the seniority of each member.

Women’s ceremonies are focal points in the life of the community and are integral to the happiness and well being of the community.  The ceremonies are led by the most senior women of the clan who lead the singing and dancing. At these ceremonies the younger women are taught the tribal dreamings or rules of life that are sacred to their clan. Joy Kngwarrey Jones’s paintings represent her interpretation of these designs which she views from an aerial perspective.

Collections:

Aboriginal Art Museum, The Netherlands

Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane

The Holmes à Court Collection, Perth

Exhibitions:

1989, Utopia Women's Paintings, the First Works on Canvas, A Summer Project, 1988-89, S. H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney

1990, Utopia - A Picture Story, an exhibition of 88 works on silk from the Holmes a Court Collection by Utopia artists which toured Eire & Scotland

2006 - Senior Women of Utopia, GalleryG, Brisbane

2007 - Patterns of Power, Art from the Eastern Desert, Simmer on the Bay, Sydney.

2007 - Eastern Desert Dreaming, Artists from Utopia, GalleryG, Brisbane

2007 - Eastern Desert Song - Brush with Art Festival, Prairie Hotel, Parachilna

2008 - Power of Place, Paintings and Sculpture from the Eastern Desert, Tandanya Aboriginal Cultural Institute Inc.

2008 - From the Desert to the Sea, Yurlunggar Art, Brisbane

2009 - East-West-Brush With Art, Prairie Hotel, Parachilna, South Australia

2009 - Aboriginal art in Korea, Gong Pyeong Art Space, Seoul, Korea

2010 - The Utopia Story, Australasian Arts Projects, Singapore

2010 - Western and Eastern Desert Art, Blaxlands Inn, Hunter Valley, NSW

2010 - Aboriginal Artists UK Spring Show 11-13 June, London

2011 - Utopian Aboriginal Art, Without Pier Art Gallery, Melbourne

2011 - Desert Visions, Prairie Hotel, Parachilna, South Australia

2012 - Prairie Hotel, Parachilna, South Australia

2013 - Aboriginal Artists UK Show , London

2014 -Prairie Hotel, Parachilna, South Australia

2014 - Indigenous Group Show, Without Pier Art Gallery, Melbourne

2016 – Richmond Hill Gallery, London, UK

2017 - Prairie Hotel, Parachilna, South Australia 

2018 - Indigenous Group Show, Without Pier Art Gallery, Melbourne

2018 - Prairie Hotel, Parachilna, South Australia 

2019 - Prairie Hotel, Parachilna, South Australia

2020 - Richmond Hill Gallery, London, UK

2020 - Prairie Hotel, Parachilna, South Australia

2021 - Prairie Hotel, Parachilna, South Australia