Biography

Stephanie Napurrurla Nelson was born in 1984 in the Northern Territory town of Alice Springs. She grew up 290km from there, in Yuendumu, a remote Aboriginal Community. She attended the local school then studied at Yirrara College, an Aboriginal boarding college in Alice Springs. Stephanie’s auntie is Bessie Nakamarra Sims (Dec) who was one of the founding artists of Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation, an Aboriginal owned and governed art centre in the community of Yuendumu. Stephanie has painted at the art centre since 2000 under the guidance of Bessie, from whom she has been handed the Dreaming stories she paints. These stories have been passed down in this way over many generations. Stephanie’s dreamings include Janganpa (possum), Yarla (bush potato), Karnta (women), Marlu (kangaroo), Pamabaru (flying ant). They come from Waputali, the country of which her family are custodians, and relate directly to this land, it’s features and animals. Stephanie is married and has a son who was born in 2003. She likes playing basketball and going hunting with her family.