Heather Anjolu Umbagai
Heather paints under her dreaming name Anjolu, which means ‘clouds’. She was born in the bush under the shelter of a tree, the traditional way, in c1954. As a young girl she lived at the Presbyterian Mission at Mowanjum, via Derby, WA.
Her paintings reflect her passion for the landscape of her country, her rich cultural heritage and her personal memories of growing up at Mowanjum.
Heather was educated at Derby and Perth, where she completed a nursing degree, studied Aboriginal Community Management & Development, attended Bible College and is currently studying linguistics. Her father was fluent in nine Aboriginal languages plus English.
Heather is passionate about helping her community. As a nurse and health worker she sees the need for much improved health services for her people. Her dream is to fund an Aboriginal Health Centre in her traditional country, for the women and their families. She hopes sales of her paintings will make this dream come true.
These works are very different from traditional Kimberley art. Heather loves contemporary art and has moved right away from dots and ochre paints. She loves working in acrylic paints, with a strong use of colour. She first started painting professionally around 1999 but has always been creative, sketching her landscape and people and illustrating books.
The below artwork was featured in the Indigenous Law Bulletin March / April 2009 Volume 7 Issue 11.
