Edna Dale / Wandjina of the Ngarinyin Tribe (1A)

Edna Dale is a Ngarinyin woman and chairperson of Imintji Community, a small community located 220km from Derby, WA on the Gibb River Road. She lives here with her husband Lance Bedford (son of acclaimed East Kimberley artist Paddy Bedford) and their seven daughters and baby son.

Edna is the daughter of famous Kimberley artist Jack Dale Mengenen (1920-2013). Growing up she spent much of her time by her father’s side travelling through their country, watching him paint and tell stories. Edna’s father taught her the Law, painting and showed her the many cave sites that are sacred to Ngarinyin people.

Edna has her own distinct style, her elongated Wandjina figures and minimalist aesthetic are a clear departure from the imagery of her father.
A lovely quietly spoken lady, Edna still lives on her traditional land and is the driving force behind encouraging other Ngarinyin people to use art to tell their stories and keep their culture strong. Her eldest daughter Petrina, also an artist, is carrying on this important tradition to a third generation.

Selected Exhibitions
2015 – September Shinju Art Prize
2015 – July Kimberly Art Prize
2014 – May Feature artist, Ashurst Legal Reconciliation Policy, Ashurst Legal
2013 – March Revealed, emerging Western Australian Aboriginal Artists, Gallery Central, Central Institute, Perth

Wandjina’s are our God. He is the creator, we believe the Wandjina’s made the dreamtime stories, the Ungud (Wandjina created Ungud spirits. Every person has an Ungud or Totem. The Ungud is given before birth by a relative through dreams, and represents a living animal), the culture and also he is the Rainmaker. All Wandjinas have large eyes and no mouth. ……Edna Dale 2016