Tracy Yates, Untitled. 2020. 600mm x 800mm. Acrylic on plywood. Warakurna Artists. (#100-20)

Tracy was born in Warakurna and grew up in the community. She would go out bush with her parents and brothers and sisters. Tracy paints the Kungkarangkalpa Tjukurrpa, in particular, the songline that runs from Wanarn through to Docker River.

Featuring a kangaroo (the local footy team are the Warakurna Roos), western desert dot painting, and the Ngaanyatjarra word ‘Yurliya’, Tracy Yates’ much sought-after one-off design is a classic mash-up of popular culture and traditional Aboriginal design and language. Yurliya is the local name given to the mountain range and outcrop that provides the picturesque backdrop to the community of Warakurna. The Western name these ranges are known by are the Rawlinson Ranges. The term Yurliya roughly translates to ‘crying’ or to cry, and if you look closely when in community, you can see a crying face on the side of the outcrop.

The Ngurra Streetwear Project was initiated in 2014 in response to artists and directors request to design fashion within the community. Working with graphic designer, Jack Searls, each year we host a week-long intensive design workshop to create aesthetic elements that are new and original. Participants use paint, textas and photography to create a host of imagery from around the community, which are then workshopped to create the best images for screen printing as well as creating a design direction for the overall project.

The workshops include photography, collage and digital manipulation using design software. Participants then made the final designs print ready and worked out costing, sizes and market development.