Carlene Thompson

Carlene is a senior ar􏰀st and senior woman in the Ernabella community. At various 􏰀times she has sat on the board of the Ernabella Art Centre and was the Chair for several years.

Carlene was born Carlene De Rose, in Finke in 1950. She met her husband, Kunmanara (Kawaki) Thompson OAM, at De Rose Hill, and they were married there. Her late husband was a highly regarded senior Pitjantjatjara man who was a major figure in the Land Rights Movement. Carlene and her husband had one son, and five daughters, three of whom also work at the art centre.

Carlene started pain􏰀ting at the art centre in 2007 and quickly developed a very individual style. In 2009 Carlene began to concentrate on ceramics. Her work is contemporary while being based on Country and the crea􏰀tion being of her family’s country, the kalaya (emu). Carlene is a very hard worker and oft􏰁en con􏰀tinues to paint at the art centre long a􏰁fter other artists have left􏰁.

Carlene’s art has been shown in many exhibi􏰀tions both nationally and internationally. It has also been acquired for the Goulburn Regional Art Gallery collec􏰀tion and the Queensland Art Gallery Collec􏰀tion. Carlene has thrice been a finalist in the Na􏰀onal Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award.

She is a strong par􏰀cipant in women’s ceremony and is passing this knowledge down to her daughters.

• Goulburn Regional Art Gallery, NSW
• Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane, QLD