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Born in 1967 in Alice Springs, Trephina grew up with
many uncles, aunties and cousins doting on her as a beautiful young
Aboriginal girl, she was the only child in her family.
Trephina’s painting talents started at a very young age.
As a young girl she used to sit and watch her uncles, aunties, cousins
and friends paint for hours at a time. She would then pick up a stick
and draw her art in the dirt.
With her mother and aunty a big influence in her life,
Trephina went to the English speaking school at Alice Springs. Even
though English became Trephina’s first language, she was taught Luritja,
the language of her family and Elders at home. Trephina, in her own
words, had the best of both worlds.
The language skill she acquired stood Trephina in good
stead. Acknowledged as a Luritja language specialist, she did work as an
interpreter and in conjunction with colleagues and the Alice Springs
Institute for Aboriginal Development, was a valuable contributor to an
Aboriginal-English dictionary.
However, Trephina’s main love is painting. Her artwork
drawing on the knowledge acquired in her youth, and the stories her
family and Elders passed down.
Many of Trephina’s early work is done in the classic
‘dot-style’ that is synonymous with Aboriginal art movement. Although
she still produces artwork in this style, Trephina like many artists,
has evolved from the natural colours reflected in the landscape of
‘Central Australia’ to expanding to a larger palate of colours. Other
changes can also be seen in her work, as she tentatively paints in
masterful strokes of vibrant hues, producing her very popular ‘Tjanpi
Kampanyi’ (Burning Grass). These beautiful works are evocative and
captures the very essence of Aboriginal culture:
...for generations our people have burnt off the
bush land for hunting purposes, safety and regrowth.
New works are emerging from Trephina’s hands, reflecting
her passion for the abstract style, as can be seen in her ‘Bush Onions’,
‘Bush Honey’, and Intanga (‘Grass Seed’). With many more ideas filling
her head, and the penchant for trying new ideas, Trephina’s looks set to
surprise and please the many fans of her works.
Many of the works has been created under the name of
Trephina Sultan, although she still continues to use this name on
different works, some of her works will also bear her Aboriginal name of
‘Thanguwa’. The equivalent meaning in English is ‘scent’. Source:
Travel Australia with AusEmade - Trephina Sultan Thanguwa |
