Kittey Malarvie / Sturt River (17734)

Kittey (also known as Kitten) was born at Halls Creek c. 1942, on the site of the old gold mine. She recalls seeing the alluvial gold glinting as the sun rose in the morning time. “There was a big mob of people all digging with crowbars. My father worked there – he was from Gordon Downs Station. Before we were at Halls Creek, my father was a stockman at Nicholson and lots of other stations in the area. He taught all those young boys like Jock Mosquito how to ride and handle horses. One time he drove Camel Trains for a while – he said it took three weeks for a really short trip from Lake Gregory way to Balgo with those camels”.

Her Grandmother’s country was Sturt Creek/Gordon Downs area and Kittey (really Kathleen and sometimes Kitten she says and laughs) paints this country as well as Halls Creek area. She and her three brothers moved to Ord River Station and it was there that Kittey commenced her working life. She was a camp cook and worked around the homestead until she returned to Halls Creek.

She has one daughter and raised a daughter for Peggy Patrick (Vanessa Gordon). Kittey has lived in Kununurra for many years and can relate stories in detail of the development of the town.

Kittey’s works include dot-art, sketching, carving, wonderful paintings of the Halls Creek Crater – a very talented lady.

Her father taught her to paint and carve when she was very small – he would carve coolamons and other wooden artefacts, and Kittey would paint them up for him.

Selected Solo Exhibitions
• 2018 Before and After: Kittey Malarvie, Galerie Zadra, NSW & Luxembourg
• 2017 Milkwater and Luga, JGM Gallery, London, UK
• 2015 Ngaba, RAFT Art Space, Alice Springs NT, Australia
• 2013 Kittey Malarvie, Mossenson Galleries, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Selected Group Exhibitions
• 2022 Garrbe Garrbe: Lets Go Collecting – Short St Gallery, Broome WA
• 2021 Ngappa Gerloong – Water Water, Paul Johnstone Gallery, Darwin NT
• 2021 Berrdalngtha Woorlang – Strong Stories, Mossenson Galleries, Subiaco WA
• 2020 Kimberley Ochres, Everywhen Art, Flinders VIC
• 2019 The art of Healing, The Berlin Museum of Medical History of the Charité
• 2019 The Art of Healing, King’s College, London
• 2019 Water Talk, Mossenson Galleries, Subiaco, WA
• 2018 This Place Holds the Key, JGM Gallery, London, UK
• 2018 Sunshine Coast Art Prize, Caloundra Regional Gallery, Sunshine Coast, QLD
• 2018 The Art of Healing, Medical History Museum University of Melbourne, VIC
• 2017 Earth, Wind + Fire, Griffin Gallery, London, UK
• 2017 Earth Matters, FORM, Perth WA
• 2017 Desert Stars, Vandel Gallery, Redfern, NSW
• 2016 Living Waters, The Sordello & Missana Collection, Oceanographic Museum of Monaco, France
• 2015 City of Albany Art Prize, Albany, WA
• 2015 Sydney Contemporary 2015, Mossenson Galleries Booth, Carriageworks, Sydney, NSW
• 2015 Salon15, Paul Johnstone Gallery, Darwin, NT
• 2015 Cossack Art Awards 2015, City of Karratha, WA
• 2015 Art Stage Singapore, Mossenson Galleries, Marina Bay Convention Centre, Singapore
• 2014 Informing. Kittey Malarvie and Mary Tailor, Suzanne O’Connell Gallery, Brisbane, QLD
• 2014 Gerloong. Kittey Malarive, Judy Mengil & Agnes Armstrong, Mossenson Galleries, Perth, WA
• 2014 Wood & Water: New Prints from Waringarri Arts. Northern Editions, Charles Darwin University, NT
• 2013 Traversing Borders – Art from the Kimberley. Queensland University Art Museum, QLD
• 2013 Conversations & Connection. The Cross Art Projects, Kings Cross, NSW
• 2013 The Calleen Art Award, Cowra Regional Art Gallery, NSW
• 2013 The Sulman Prize, Art Gallery of NSW

Selected Collections
• Art Gallery of Western Australia
• Department of Housing, Government of Western Australia
• Kerry Stokes Collection
• National Gallery of Australia
• Nevada Museum of Art Reno, Nevada, USA
• Royal Perth Hospital Collection
• Sordello Missana Collection, Cap D’Antibes, France
• Wesfamers Collection
• Zhongfu Group Collection

Awards and Recognition
• 2015 Highly Commended – City of Albany Art Prize, Albany WA
• 2014 Finalist – Hedland Art Awards, Courthouse Gallery, Port Hedland WA
• 2014 Finalist – Kimberley Art Award, Shire of Derby, WA
• 2012 Finalist – John Fries Memorial Prize, Gaffa Galleries, Sydney, NSW
• 2012 Finalist – Hedland Art Awards, Courthouse Gallery, Port Hedland, WA

Kitty has depicted the Sturt River, her mother’s country. Painting in the colours of her country Kitty depicts the water of the Sturt River which is naturally milky in appearance and reflects a myriad of colours across the surface with the changing light at different times of day. In the wet season and after a big tide on the Sturt River the water would rise up on the mud flats.