Pirlinyanu 2002 by Julie Nangala Robertson, 41x41cm

This is part of a series of early works created in 2002 when Julie started painted alongside her mother, Dorothy Napangardi, in her studio.

The background is very colourful, symbolises the country that is abundant after a period of good rain.

Julie always paints the Water Dreaming associated with her custodial site, a rocky outcrop with deep wells, known as Pirlinyanu. In Warlpiri language, Pirli means 'stone'. This site is west of Nyrripi in the central desert of Australia.

This important Dreaming is for those that carry the skin names Nangala or Nampijinpa (women) or Jangala or Jampijinpa for men.

The eldest of the five daughters of Dorothy Napangardi Robinson has recently changed the spelling of her surname to Robertson, feeling that her father, Windy, had misspelt it as Julie's other relatives in Yuendumu are all Robertson. Windy had two wives, Rene Robinson and Dorothy Robinson.