About Us
Central Art is located in Alice Springs, central Australia and represents one of the largest online Aboriginal art galleries in the world for contemporary Australian Aboriginal art and paintings. Central Art specialises in Aboriginal art from the central desert and western desert art regions of Australia.
Central Art was established in 2004 by Sabine Haider and husband John McEwen and with the encouragement of the Aboriginal Artist Ada Bird Petyarre, one of the famous Petyarre sisters from Utopia.
"Don’t leave this art business, we need you, we need each other" she said and the women artists from Utopia made a commitment to bring their work directly to me.
After working for five years in a Gallery, I was interested in offering artists a choice in the way they sell their art and to establish a business that dealt with the artists in an equitable and ethical way. Underpinning Central Art is the desire for aboriginal artists to have control over the production and marketing of their work and to be empowered by the process.
We have been richly rewarded by being given the first choices of new work from both leading and emerging artists. The shared friendships have enriched and informed my knowledge of the Desert communities as they share their Aboriginal Dreamtime Stories and their cultural ways with me.
Central Art recognises the significant economic resources the art business brings to the artist’s families and their community. We champion emerging artists and are dedicated to work with the aboriginal artists to see the indigenous art business develop as a sustainable cultural, social and economic force.
We want to be part of making a difference. We work side by side with the indigenous communities on issues relating not just to the art business but social issues confronting Aboriginal people. Part of our vision is to use our online site to inform the world of the richness of this remarkable culture.
I was deeply inspired by Daphne Williams, a leading visionary in the early days of the Papunya Tula movement. Her respect for the artists and the artists, her passion for the art and her tireless efforts to get the artists ‘a fair go’ have been my inspiration. The artists say ‘Daphne, she is a good woman’. and that is the respect I am aiming for.
Sabine Haider, owner and Director of Central Art was born and spent her early years in Alice Springs. Her interest in the Aboriginal people led her to study intensely their history and Aboriginal culture. This, combined with her exposure to the contemporary Aboriginal art while working in an Aboriginal Gallery, led to her intense passion for this art.
(Photo: Sabine Haider, Director of Central Art © 2009 Central Art)
Sales Enquiries
Sabine Haider
Central Art - Aboriginal Art Store
T: (08) 8952 1711 (Aus) or +61 8 8952 1711 (Int)
Skype: centralart (Get Skype and call us for free)
F: (08) 8952 1744 (Aus) or +61 8 8952 1744 (Int)
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