Hand-Painted Noongar Art

Artist:   Christine Winmar
Region: Perth, WA
Size:      90 × 30 cm
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Artist Bio – Christine Winmar

Christine Winmar is a proud Noongar artist born in Midland in 1965. Her skin name, Allawah, meaning “Stay here,” reflects the deep cultural ties and grounding that guide her artistic practice. Christine first learned to paint under the careful instruction of her father, a respected Noongar artist and didgeridoo craftsman. His teachings formed the foundation of her creative journey, instilling in her a strong respect for culture, technique, and the Old People whose stories shape Noongar Country.

Christine’s life has taken her across Western Australia and beyond—from her childhood in the Wheatbelt to time spent living in the Kimberley and Northern Territory. These experiences expanded her artistic language, allowing her to weave traditional Noongar motifs with influences from other Aboriginal communities. Her work is known for its vibrant energy, detailed patterning, and symbolic storytelling, capturing the movement and spirit of Country.

Today, Christine continues to honour her culture through paintings that express identity, belonging, and the enduring strength of Noongar traditions.

Meaning Behind the Artwork – Dragonfly

In Noongar culture, the mali (dragonfly) is a messenger of change, renewal, and the shifting rhythms of the seasons. Dragonflies appear with the warmth of Birak and Bunuru, signalling drier weather, new growth, and the abundance found around waterways. Their presence tells Noongar people when certain foods are plentiful and when Country is transitioning from one cycle to the next.

The dragonfly is also seen as a symbol of clarity, agility, and spiritual transformation. Its ability to hover, dart, and move effortlessly across water reflects adaptability and awareness—qualities highly valued in Noongar teachings. The shimmering wings of the mali are often understood as a reminder of the unseen forces that connect people, land, and ancestors.

For Christine, Dragonfly Dreaming represents personal renewal and the continuous movement of culture through time. The dragonfly carries the stories of waterways, wetlands, and the life they sustain—places deeply entwined with Noongar identity. Its presence is a reminder of balance: between land and water, the physical world and the spiritual one.

Christine’s artwork captures this spirit through fine line work, layered dotting, and fluid patterns that mimic the delicate flight paths of the dragonfly. The colours echo the reflections of sunlit waterholes, reeds, and wetlands—Country alive with movement and stories.

Through Dragonfly Dreaming, Christine honours the mali as a guide, a symbol of change, and a reminder of the ongoing relationship between Noongar people and the cycles of nature.