Rachel Nangala Rankine
Born
1967
Birth place
Ali Curung
Community
Ali Curung - NT
Gender
Female
Country
Ali Curung
Languages
- Anmatjerre
- Kaytetye
Skin Name
- Nangala
Rachel Rankine Nagala belongs to the Kaytetye and Anmatjere language groups. She was born in Ali Curung and spent her childhood between split between Ali Curung and 150km South at Anningie Station. In the late 70s, Rachel and her family settled permanently in Ali Curung, and since then she has lived and worked predominantly in Ali Curung and Darwin.
Rachel started painting in the 80s in Ali Curung at the Women’s Centre. She learned to paint by watching her mum; “I used to come along (to the Women’s Centre) and watch all the old ladies painting, but I watched her most and that’s how I got it from her.” In 1992, Rachel went to TAFE college in Cairns where she was briefly enrolled in a visual arts course. “I was supposed to do 3 years, but I ended up doing 1 month cause I had to go back to Darwin, or I’d have to give up the apartment I was renting there.” After that course, Rachel began painting at home in Darwin and spent some time as artist in residence in local galleries.
Rachel started painting with Arlpwe in 2020 and approaches each painting with a calculated professionalism. She keeps books filled with drafts and ideas for new paintings and is always experimenting with different styles and colours. Rachel depicts landscapes and native flora in both abstract and representational styles. Rachel has previously exhibited at multiple Desert Mob exhibitions in Alice Springs and at an Arlpwe group show Ingkerr-enheng at Modern Times in Fitzroy.
Rachel started painting in the 80s in Ali Curung at the Women’s Centre. She learned to paint by watching her mum; “I used to come along (to the Women’s Centre) and watch all the old ladies painting, but I watched her most and that’s how I got it from her.” In 1992, Rachel went to TAFE college in Cairns where she was briefly enrolled in a visual arts course. “I was supposed to do 3 years, but I ended up doing 1 month cause I had to go back to Darwin, or I’d have to give up the apartment I was renting there.” After that course, Rachel began painting at home in Darwin and spent some time as artist in residence in local galleries.
Rachel started painting with Arlpwe in 2020 and approaches each painting with a calculated professionalism. She keeps books filled with drafts and ideas for new paintings and is always experimenting with different styles and colours. Rachel depicts landscapes and native flora in both abstract and representational styles. Rachel has previously exhibited at multiple Desert Mob exhibitions in Alice Springs and at an Arlpwe group show Ingkerr-enheng at Modern Times in Fitzroy.
