Taliby Lily Kelly Napangardi

Lily Kelly Napangardi (Napangati) was born in approximately 1948 at Haasts Bluff in Central Australia. Lily Kelly is a Luritja and Warlpiri speaker and a highly distinguished Aboriginal artist. Lily grew up living in the bush until in the 1960’s where as a young girl her family moved to the settlement of Papunya, several hours from Alice Springs in Central Australia. As an adult she then later moved to Watiyawanu (Mount Liebig) approximately 3 hours west of Alice Springs.

She is a highly respected senior law woman in her community and the custodian over the Women’s Dreaming stories associated with her traditional country around Kunajarrayi (Mount Nicker). Lily began painting in 1986 and worked closely with Papunya Tula Artists for several years. Her paintings are very innovative interpretations of her country. She later then worked closely with Watiyawanu Artists of Yamunturrngu.

Lily is married to Norman Kelly Tjampitjinpa who is also an artist however he only very paints very occasionally now if at all. Together they have three children and several grandchildren.

In 1986 in her first year of painting she won the Northern Territory Art Award for Excellence in Aboriginal Paintings (also known as the Telstra Award). This is Australia’s highest Aboriginal art prize and is very prestigious. She followed this up as a selected entrant in 2002 and a finalist in 2003.

In 2006 she was named as one of Australia’s 50 most collectable artists by the Australia Art Collector Magazine which further cemented her as one of Australia’s most sought after and collectable Aboriginal artists. The Australian Indigenous Art Market has her rated as the 77th most collectable aboriginal artist of all time.

Her paintings are typically titled “Tali” (Sand Hills) and focus on her country around Mount Liebig. They are usually painted using white (although sometimes red or yellow) fine dots on a black background. The overall affect presents an almost 3D illusion of space and depth. Today, Lily’s paintings are recognised as some of the most innovative in the contemporary Aboriginal art scene.

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