Petrina Dale Bedford / Armarla Wandjina (1A)

Petrina Bedford was born in Derby, WA in 1998 and is a third generation West Kimberley artist. Both her grandfathers – Jack Dale Mengenen (maternal) and Paddy Bedford (paternal) were celebrated Indigenous Kimberley artists (now deceased).

Petrina’s mother, Edna Dale, is a senior artist and Petrina and her mother often paint side by side. Petrina was only 12 when her first artworks were included in an exhibition at Japingka Gallery in Perth alongside the works of her mother and grandfather. An incredible achievement for such a young artist.

Petrina is the oldest of eight children to her parents Edna and Lance – seven girls and a boy. Petrina is Gija skin on her father’s side and Ngarinyin on her mother’s side. She lives with her family at Imintji Community, 230km east of Derby along the Gibb River Road, where her mother is Chairperson.

Petrina was extremely close to her late grandfather Jack Dale who encouraged her to paint from a young age. Painting allowed Jack to pass on the stories of his country which relate to the Wandjina rock art of the West Kimberley.

Now in her early twenties, Petrina is an established artist in her own right with an incredible talent and, we believe, an amazing career in front of her. Most definitely an artist to watch out for in the future.

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.