Sharon Turner Napananka / Thorny Lizard Dreaming (1A)

Sharon Turner is the daughter of artist, Caroline Numina and Daniel Turner. Caroline’s father is Douglas Pananka Petyarre (deceased). Her mother is Barbara Pananka Mbitjana who is an elder painter and cultural elder from Stirling Station. Caroline is an Anmatyerre artist from Ti Tree, 190km North of Alice Springs in Central Australia and grew up on Stirling Station, a cattle station south of Tennant Creek along with her Five sisters Jacinta, Lanita, Louise, Selina and Sharon Numina, who are also well-respected artists from Utopia and three brothers.

Sharon attended primary school at Stirling Station, where she began painting at a young age, taking guidance from her aunties as well as world-renowned aunties Gloria and Kathleen Petyarre. Caroline and Sharon later moved to Darwin with their family. In Darwin Sharon attended primary school at Sanderson Middle School and then went on to complete year 10 and 11 at Casuarina High School.

This painting depicts the story of the skin of the “thorny devil” which is referred to by Anmatyerre people as “mountain devil lizard”. The thorny devil is a beautifully patterned dragon-like creature with barbs and humps across its back and large, bulging protuberances on its head, camouflaging its eyes. Surviving on small insects, it inhabits the dune areas of the country and can be found across much of the Western Desert. The lizard is said to change colours in the desert as the sun rises and sets and the dew catches upon their skin reflecting the ability of the Mountain Thorny Devil Lizard to change from plain to vivid colours. A very detailed work created by a series of swirls in the alluring colours of yellow, orange, red, pink and white. It captures a feeling of gentle transition and movement.

This gorgeous painting depicts the story of the skin of the Mountain Thorny Devil Lizard. The lizard is said to change colours in the desert as the sun rises and sets and the dew catches upon their skin reflecting the ability of the Mountain Thorny Devil Lizard to change from plain to vivid colours. A very detailed work created by a series of swirls in the alluring colours of yellow, orange, pink and white. It captures a feeling of gentle transition and movement, a very beautiful painting.