Yarrenyty Arltere Artists
Yarrenyty Arltere Artists is about family and community. Is it about celebrating the innovation, creativity and diversity of Yarrenyty Arltere Town Camp artists. It is about having a localised art program that is open to all Yarrenyty Arltere Town Camp community members. It is about creating a safe and non judgemental environment in which people can work, access services, plan for the future. It is about working together to create a successful and healthy enterprise. An enterprise that is strong because of the people that work there, that is strong because of the social, emotional and cultural capital that is shared daily. This vibrant dynamic art centre located in the heart of Alice Springs in the Larapinta Valley Town Camp is all about the people that work there daily, their families, their community, their culture. It is about a great future in which the Yarrenyty Arltere Artists are directing for themselves!
Originally established in 2000 as a response to the chronic social issues faced by the town camp, Yarrenyty Arltere Town Camp Artists started as an arts training project. In 2002 the community identified the enterprise as a goal and in 2008 the enterprise was established. Now a vibrant and dynamic hub, Yarrenyty Arltere Artists is seen as an important part in rebuilding strength in the community and creating economic access for people, many of whom had not been engaged previously in the workforce. Now people are participating in regular work, there is a vehicle for social inclusiveness and the activities in the art centre have provided real and engaging pathways into the wider society.
The enterprise impacts positively on the whole community. It is a program that facilitates healing and nurtures well being. It has enhanced personal capacity, self reliance and self esteem. The activities also provide a place where people can relax and de-stress. It is an important part in the community's success in decreasing volatile substance abuse and building resilience.
Artworks
Artist Profile/s
Dulcie Sharpe
Dulcie Sharpe was born at Kwale Kwale (Jay Creek) but spent many years growing up at Hamilton Downs Station. Her mother was from Papunya and she is a Luritja speaker. Dulcie went to school at Kwale Kwale and says her happiest memories are playing every day after school in the bush and swimming when there was water. It was Dulcie’s grandmother, Old Laddie, who taught her everything about culture: how to find honey ants, bush tucker, dancing, language.
Dulcie has been coming to the Yarrenyty Arltere Learning Centre since 2000 when she helped set it up as a place for her community to get well again from the chronic social issues it was facing. Dulcie wanted to create a safe place for the kids and adults to find new pathways into the future by holding on strongly to culture and learning together.
Dulcie says she loves sewing. She sews after work on the weekend and even in hospital. She is a respected elder of the community and a positive role model for other artists.
Marlene Rubuntja
Marlene was born in Mparntwe (Alice Springs) in 1960 and grew up at Amoonguna community, east of Alice Springs where she went to school. Marlene is the daughter of Wenton Rubuntja the well-known painter and activist. It was her father who fought for the rights of people to settle Town Camps in Alice Springs. In the 1970’s her family, the Rubuntja’s, along with the Ebatarinja’s and the Lynche’s were the original families to settle Yarrenyty Arltere Town Camp. Marlene has been here ever since, and she is proud to call this place home. She is sister to the important watercolour artist Mervyn Rubuntja.
Marlene learnt to sew at Yirara College, Alice Springs, however she only began making soft sculptures at Yarrenyty Arltere in 2009. She says she draws inspiration for her soft sculptures and her works on paper from what she sees around her in her daily life at Yarrenyty Arltere Town Camp; “some things are good for people and other things make people really mad”. She also draws inspiration from her father’s country and from her husband’s country at Wave Hill. Marlene is interested in telling proudly the stories of her people; her art is helping her to do this.
Marlene is a proud spokeswoman for the Art Centre and is happy to tell people how important it is in her life in helping her stay strong and healthy. Marlene has worked on all the films made through the Yarrenyty Arltere Art Centre, either as a writer, artist, cultural advisor and or on screen. In 2016 and 2019 Marlene officially opened the Desert Mob Exhibition in Alice Springs and in 2017 and 2020 she was one of three judges for the Portrait of a Senior Territorian Art Award. In 2016 Marlene was the overall winner for the inaugural Vincent Lingiari Art Award Alice Springs with her self-portrait titled, My Future is in my Hands. Now Marlene is the well deserving winner of the Lofty Awards, which celebrates an artist who has shown dedication and passion for maintaining a high standard of arts practice that builds the cultural voice of Central Australia. Marlene is also the president of the Yarrenyty Arltere Housing Association and sits on the Board of Directors for Tangentyere Council.
Rosabella Ryder
Now I'm living at Larapinta, I'm working here at the Learning Centre. I like to do this little work. It's really nice. I love sewing. And I also love doing the bush medicines. I like to be busy and I always take work back home and keep doing it. My partner works here too.
I was born in Alice Springs in 1975. I grew up at White Gate, I was living with all my family, all my grandfathers, aunties and uncles. My grandfather's country is Little Well, Ross River way. I also lived at Santa Teresa with my other family when i was 12 and went to school there. I got married at about 16 and had my first baby when I was living at White Gate. Now I've got six kids, I didn't drink and I grew them up out bush at No 5 community west of Alice Springs.