Louise Numina Napananka

About The Artist

Louise is one of the celebrated Numina sisters, whose bold, confident, and colourful paintings are enjoyed in homes throughout Australia and all over the world. Her sisters are Sharon, Selina, Caroline, Jacinta and Lanita – and each of the Numina sisters are highly regarded Aboriginal Artists in their own right. Louise, her sisters and two brothers are the children of Barbara Pananka Price and the late Douglas Petyarre, and it was two of Douglas’ sisters – the internationally-renowned Aboriginal Artists Gloria and Kathleen Petyarre – who taught their nieces to paint the Bush Medicine Leaf ceremony (Aunty Gloria) and Thorny Lizard Dreaming (Aunty Kathleen). The Numina Sisters are also the great nieces of Emily Kngwarreye and Kudditji Kngwarreye, who along with Minnie Pwerle and Ada Bird Petyarre, are the most internationally acclaimed artists of the Aboriginal Art Movement of the Utopia Aboriginal Lands of the Eastern Desert that emerged in the 1970s.

Louise attended Primary School at Stirling Station, near Tennant Creek in the Central Desert, and later attended Yirrara College in Alice Springs. When she returned to Stirling Station, she worked with the local Community Development Program. Since moving to Darwin in 1995 and beginning her career as an artist, Louise has studied at Nungalinya College, and has a Diploma in Fine Arts.

Louise’s paintings have been widely exhibited throughout Australia, and in August 2017, couture designer Pia du Pradal launched a range of ‘resort wear’ featuring Louise’s Bush Medicine Leaf design at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Brisbane. Louise has also enjoyed 'going viral' on social media – registering literally millions of views of the hypnotic videos of her creating her stunning 'Bush Medicine Leaves' paintings. While Louise makes the painting of the bush medicine leaves look effortless, it is her talent, confidence and joy in bringing the story to life that inspires her to "keep our culture strong".