Aileen Napaljarri Long

"We grew up on bush food, kanga berry, bush potato, I paint bush tuckers because I like to go out and collect them, sit out with the crowbar and dig the potato. And eat them, it's a nice taste."

Born to a Warlipiri father and Warlmanpa mother, Aileen Long grew up in Willowra Community and moved to Tennant Creek in her youth. Aileen started painting as a young woman, but stopped for many years before picking up the brush again with Barkly Regional Arts' Tartukula Artists. Aleen's paintings use bright textured colours to show abstract depictions of bush tucker, in particular, wanakiji (bush tomato), recalling fond memories of hunting for bush tuckers with family. Bush tomatoes grow in abundance in the Barkly region and are particularly common after big rain.