Born: 1969
Region: Papunya
Language: Pintupi

Biography

Debra was born on the 11th of November 1969 at Papunya Camp into an impressive artistic dynasty.

She is the grandaughter of Shorty Lungkata Tjungurrayi (1920-1987). Shorty was a Pintupi man from Lake MacDonald in the Gibson Desert. In 1948 he moved to Haasts Bluff, and Papunya but his stories tell of his country at Lane MacDonald Her mother, Martha MacDonald, is a highly respected Papunya Tjupi artist, and sister to Lynda Syddick.

Debra married the nephew of Turkey Tolson, and son of Mitjilli Naparulla. She travels between family homes in Adelaide, and Alice Springs. Debra paints Tingari (from Creation time) - her father was custodian for this sacred place. Tingari Dreaming Stories are many, but also tell of the Ancestoral beings that came to earth in the form of humans, snakes, plants, or animals which were responsible for creating the land, and its geographical features. Both Debra and Shorty’ stories refer to the Lake MacDonald area in the Gibson Desert, Central Australia.

In July 2010 Debra had a highly successful artist in residence exhibition at Mulgara Gallery, Sails of the Desert, Ayers Rock, Northern Territory. Her talent is obvious and she is a rising star whose work is steadily increasing in demand by collectors worldwide. The Dreaming depicted in Her paintings revolves around the site known as Lungkarta (home of the blue tongue lizard).