Carpet snake by Bonita Nungurrayi Williams 31x41cm CAN-BW-05

"Carpet Snake" by Bonita Nungurrayi Williams delves into the profound connection between the Carpet Snake and the spirit of water, a belief cherished by the desert people of the Northern Territory. Scientifically, carpet snakes cannot survive long without water and are almost always found near water sources. The snake's ability to disappear into the earth and reappear elsewhere has given it symbolic power in stories and art. In Aboriginal Australia, the snake is revered as a Creation Ancestor, with its journeys shaping the landscape.

Bonita Nungurrayi Williams, born in Alice Springs in 1971, has dedicated most of her life to her hometown, with some time spent traveling in Western Australia. She has been painting for about eight years, having learned from her mother, an artist from Ti Tree who speaks Anmatyerre. Married with four children, Bonita honors her heritage through her art. Her totems are the goanna and snake, and she frequently paints bush foods like witchetty grubs, honey ants, and berries, highlighting her deep cultural connections.