Lucky Morton Kngwarreye

Lucky began her artistic journey in 1977. As the eldest daughter of the esteemed Utopian artist Mary Morton Kemarre, Lucky actively engaged in batik workshops held in Utopia from 1977 to 1987, collaborating with her mother and younger siblings. Her artistic contributions find a place in the Holmes á Court Collection, featured extensively in exhibitions across Australia and beyond.

In the transformative summer of 1988-89, Lucky, like many batik artists in Utopia, transitioned to painting as part of CAAMA's 'The First works on Canvas, a Summer Project.' Embracing the more adaptable medium of acrylics, she continued to paint and showcased her work in exhibitions in Sydney and Melbourne. In addition to painting, Lucky briefly explored wood sculpture.

Growing up, Lucky attended a bush school near Hatcher's Creek, northeast of Utopia, and spent her formative years around Kurrajong Camp in Utopia and MacDonnell Downs Station. Over the years, Lucky pursued education at Bachelor College in Alice Springs, leading her to travel for further studies in Darwin and Tenant Creek.

Lucky's artistic repertoire encompasses a diverse array of stories, stemming from two ancestral Countries: Ngkwarlerlaneme and Arnkawenyerr, to which she belongs. She skillfully captures the ceremonial body paint designs associated with these countries, as well as those from her mother's country, Antarrengeny. Her art reflects a rich tapestry of cultural narratives and a deep connection to the lands that shape her identity.