Bevan Tjampitjimpa

Bevan Tjampitjinpa was born in 1980 in Darwin in the Northern Territory and grew up visiting his homeland of Ti Tree (Pmara Jutunta), 200 km north of Alice Springs in Central Australia. After finishing his school years in Darwin he moved to Ti Tree, which is his Grandparents and Mothers country. Bevan has been establishing himself as an artist since 2001. Central Art was one of the first gallery to support him as an emerging artist.

Under the guidance of his elders he was taught the traditional Aboriginal Culture and was initiated into the ceremonies and the laws of the desert region. Bevan speaks fluent Anmatjere and knows the traditional law and how to hunt for bush tucker and bush animals.

Bevan learned a variety of techniques which included symbols, how to differentiate various landscapes features into the canvas, he was also taught how to make spears, shields and fighting sticks (nulla nulla) which are an important part of the hunting stories he portrays. Bevan was encouraged to use both brush and stick to produce traditional art - which took a number of years to perfect.

Bevan lived permanently with his Elders for the next ten years being taught the traditional ways and being initiated into the ceremonies and laws of the desert region. Bevan was taught by Peggy Nungulla Reily, Beryl Pultura, Barbara Leo, Judith Ross, Tommy Mbtajana and Mark Cook, his training covered a number of techniques which included Dreamtime symbology and how to interpret various landscape features into the canvas

Traditional symbols reflect the men's hunting forays and the women's hunting and gathering expeditions Bevan has been involved in - telling a modern story of how his family group and clan.

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