Regina Karadada, © Mowanjum Artists, Mowanjum, WA

The Wandjina are rainmakers living in caves and the Gooyorn (the small figures discovered by Joseph Bradshaw) are their helpers. Young children pelted the owl and took out all of his feathers. He appealed to the Wandjina for help. The owl was thrown into the sky and turned into a cloud and with the help of the rainbow beings he brought the cyclone and drowned everyone. The empty eye sockets and beak-like nose suggest the features of an owl emerging out of mist and storm. The head is encircled by a band of red, yellow or black to depict lightning. The Wandjina figures grew from mythology and depict the violent movement of the clouds in the Kimberley during the "Wet" mixed with the real physical characteristics of the owl who occurs in many versions of the story. Regina and her relatives are custodians of the Wandjina Dreaming.

USD $1300

Regina Karadada hails from a long line of famous painters of the Wandjina spirit, creatures painted on rocks throughout Western Australia and the Kimberley along with the mysterious Gooyorn (the small figures discovered by Joseph Bradshaw) who are the Wandjina's helpers. The Wandjina figures grew from mythology and depict the violent movement of the clouds in the Kimberley during the "Wet" and mix with the real physical characteristics of the owl who occurs in many versions of the story. Regina's work was recently displayed at the Australian Embassy in Washington, D.C.