It has been a hectic and exciting start to 2008 for the Central Art team. We moved location, welcomed several new artists, added many beautiful artworks to our online gallery, closed our very successful Christmas 2007 sale and featured some fantastic works by Colleen Wallace Nungari. The highlight of the year to date is our first event at Central Art Aboriginal Art Store this year, and our first online artist feature, the Abie Loy Kemarre Feature.

Abie Loy was taught to paint by her grandmother Kathleen Petyarre. She has honed her considerable skill over the last 15 years and has produced an outstanding body of work. Our artist feature showcases many of her styles and highlights the many reasons that she is a highly collectable artist, and one of our most popular artists.

'Abie is one of our favourite contemporary artists. The collection of Abie’s works has been built up over a five year period. It’s a relationship we nurture. Over this time we have got to know Abie very well as an artist and as a friend. She is very shy and needs her own space. In her own environment she produces her most stunning work for us. It’s always exciting when we sit down together and she tells us the story. We are constantly learning from her about her different styles.' says Central Art Director, Sabine Haider.

In early January we moved into our new offices. For the moment we are very excited to be in our new premesis, but, more importantly many artists have visited us and are very excited that their office where they can talk about their paintings in a relaxed and comfortable environment. Our showroom will be ready later in 2008.

We recently featured a spectacular painting, Mamultjulkunga by George Tjungurrayi. This magnificent painting relates to specific ceremonial sites around Wala Wala, Kiwirrkura, Lake MacKay, Kulkuta, Karku, Ngaluwinyamana and Kilpinya , north-west of Kintore. It is a great collectable artwork or a fantastic investment.

In January 2008 we are also featuring some very affordable and exciting new paintings by Julianne Turner Nungarrayi. Julianne was born in 1975 at Mount Allen, Yuendumu. She was taught to paint by her mother Maureen Hudson Nampijinpa, a well known and respected Warlpiri artist. Julianne Turner Nungarrayi is one of the emerging artists supported by Central Art. She has a great future and we look forward to sharing it with her.

The celebration of Colleen Wallace Nungari's work was a great success. Her Dreamtime Sisters series continues to be remarkably popular. We look forward to showing off more of her work soon.

We hope you enjoy this edition and visit the Abie Loy Kemarre Feature.

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(Photo: Aboriginal Art Store Newsletter #4: Abie Loy Kemarre © 2008 Central Art)