PROFILE

Peggy Griffiths arts practice reflects her strong commitment to her Miriwoong culture.  Her elegant imagery resonates with references to cultural performance of which she is a renowned dancer.  The winding of waterways are the sinuous and graceful body movements of a dancer; the outlining dotting reflects a performer's body painting.  Her works document the traditional country of her mother and grandfather and her recent works capture the movement of wind through the spinifex country which for the artist is evidence that the spirit of culture is alive.

Born on Newry Station to Dinah Dingle and Frank Moore, Peggy lived and learned about her family and bush life. "I grew up on Newry Station and learnt my culture from the old people.  I saw my old people being taken away from the camp with chains around their necks and I was hidden once when Welfare came so that they would not take me away. I learned to dance all the traditional dances and I have taught  all my children and grandchildren these dances.  I went to school at the Kimberley Research School and later at Beagle Bay Mission before I got married at 16 to my promised husband Alan Griffiths. We have been together ever since." Peggy began working with Waringarri Aboriginal Arts in 1985, carving and painting boab nuts and boomerangs. She progressed to painting on canvas and working with limited edition prints.  She is the first indigenous artist to win the prestigious Fremantle Print Award.  Committed to keeping the stories of her grandfather, Charlie Mailman, alive and maintaining her connection to culture Peggy and her husband Alan were often found painting side by side.  They were also key performers and teachers of traditional dance for their community.  Today Peggy is a highly respected senior artist at Waringarri Aboriginal Arts, teaching other artists as well as contributing to leadership of Waringarri Aboriginal Arts in a Director role. Peggy has 5 children, 27 grandchildren and a growing number of great grandchildren.

"What is important to me is to carry on my grandfather and my mother's stories. It is important to show my younger generation what I have learned about our stories and our culture.  When I paint my mind has an idea and I do that to show people how I see things." 

 

Awards

2020    Cultural Adornment and Wearable Art Award - National Indigenous Fashion Awards, 
2016    Fellowship, Department of Culture and the Arts, WA
2014    Kimberley Art Award
1995    Fremantle Print Award
 

Commissions

2020    King & Wood Mallesons, Melbourne 
2019    TARNANTHI 2019, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide 
2018    Biennale of Australian Art, Ballarat, VIC
2013    Kununurra Courthouse, Kununurra WA

Collections

ARTBANK AUSTRALIA
AUSTRALIAN EQUITY - KERRY STOKES COLLECTION
CHURCH GALLERY ART ANGELS
CITY OF SOUTH PERTH COLLECTION, WA
EDITH COWAN UNIVERSITY, WA 
FREMANTLE ARTS COLLECTION, WA
ART GALLERY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA, WA
HOLMES A COURT COLLECTION, PERTH, WA
KIMBERLEY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION COLLECTION
KLUGE RUHE ABORIGINALART COLLECTION, VIRGINIA, USA
NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA, ACT
OCHRE HEALTH CENTRE - BUSH MEDICINE WALL, WA
PARLIAMENT HOUSE COLLECTION CANBERRA, ACT
PARLIAMENT HOUSE COLLECTION PERTH, WA
ROYAL PERTH HOSPITAL COLLECTION, WA
UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY COLLECTION SYDNEY NSW
UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG COLLECTION, NSW
WESFARMERS COLLECTION, WA
AIATSIS Australian Institute of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Studies Collection, ACT
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING, GOVERNMENT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA, WA
AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER STUDIES, CANBERRA, ACT
BENDIGO ART GALLERY, VIC 
ZHONGFU GROUP COLLECTION, CHINA