Mary Brown Napangardi is a Pintupi woman who was born in the mid 50’s in the bush to the south west of Yuendumu, in the Tanami desert to the north of Alice Springs. As a young girl she lived a traditional lifestyle learning about gathering bush tucker, bush medicine, craft and bead work for traditional ceremonies as well as learning the important cultural knowledge and Dreaming stories of her country. As a young girl, her family relocated to Yuendumu Community. After meeting her first husband, Mick “Pegleg” Brown Tjampitjinpa, she relocated to Mt Liebig and rhen onto Nyirripi. When her first husband passed away, she later married world renowned artist, Ronnie Tjampitjinpa. Together, they have two sons and both men are living at Yuendumu. In 2005 she began painting for Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation in Yuendumu and since that time has began painting with much more frequency. Her artworks consist of themes and scenes associated with women’s ceremonies and her stories which relate to her land, its features, and flora and fauna. These sacred and important stories have been passed down to her from her father’s side for generations. She uses traditional iconography and symbols within her artwork and a mostly traditional palette to interpret her Dreamings. Occasionally, Mary will add a pop of bright modern colour to these works.
Mary has work in several important private and public collections, including The Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Belgium.