Lightning Dreaming, 2001 by Elizabeth Marks Nakamarra 61x61cm 6815EM

Lightning Dreaming, 2001, by Elizabeth Marks Nakamarra

Elizabeth Marks Nakamarra uses a unique style to depict Kalipinpa, an important Water Dreaming Site that was formed in the Creation Era through huge storms, flash flooding and lightning. The painting narrates the stories passed down by the Tingari ancestors, whose rituals shaped the land formations of specific sites.

This is Elizabeth’s fathers Dreaming. The zigzag lines depict lightning strikes during storms. The rains that come fill the small creeks and the running water is symbolised by the long sinuous lines. The yellow ochre shapes represent the Bush Potato, another important dreaming associated with this site.

Elizabeth Nakamarra Marks began painting in the mid-1990s, focusing on women’s sacred stories and emphasizing their roles as healers and providers in Luritja society. Born on August 12, 1959, she is the niece of renowned Papunya Tula artist Johnny Warangkula. She was promised in marriage to the celebrated artist Mick Namarrari Tjapaltjarri, with whom she had three children.

Raised in Kintore and Mt Liebig, NT, Elizabeth studied at Bachelor College in Alice Springs and served as a council member in Kintore. Her work, deeply rooted in the Dreaming stories of the Tingari Cycle, captures the spiritual journey and rituals that shaped the land. Known for her Escher-like style, Elizabeth’s paintings often use a single color with a contrasting hue on a black background, creating dynamic line patterns.

Elizabeth's works have gained international recognition. She was named in the 2004 Australian Art Collector's Top 50 Most Collectible Artists. Elizabeth Nakamarra Marks continues to live and paint in the Gibson Desert, preserving and celebrating her rich cultural heritage.