Declan Apuatimi

Date of Birth: 22/12/1979
Mother's Country: Punjulow, Bathurst Island
Father's Country: Imalu Point, Melville Island, NT
Skin Group: Mosquito
Dreaming: Trick Dance
Traditional owner of the Pirlangimpi/Imalu country on the north coast of Melville Island, Declan was born at Wurrumiyanga – Bathurst Island. Declan, son of famously well know artists Jean Baptiste Apuatimi and Declan (senior) Apuatimi and brother of reputed artist (now deceased) Maria Josette Orsto, went to school at the Xavier Catholic School, before moving back to his homeland at Pirlangimpi in 2001, where he also found his current partner master printmaker and linocut carver Fiona .Surrounded and imbued by the art practices of his parents and his sister and their strong cultural knowledge Declan followed on the footstep of his parents Declan started to carve in 2004. Following on the footstep of his parents he carved until 2015. After a major heart surgery Declan decided to paint small ochre painting on Canvas in 2018. The feedback he received about these inspired him to create larger paintings. Declan now creates large and small paintings depicting rising ashes and smoke against the night sky and daytime fire images. He has been an Executive Committee member for two years and also represented Munupi on the Tiwi Art Network Committee. Declan also continues to be an Art Worker supporting the other Artists as well as his own practices. "My father taught me how to carve and do the decorations with ochre. He was a famous carver and my mother is well known artist Jean Baptiste Apuatimi, (deceased). Before that I lived on Bathurst Island.” I love fishing and hunting crabs.