Marika paints the Ngarrankarni (Dreaming) stories of her grandmother, and her grandmother's father, -- the "Willy-Willy Dreaming" as well as the  Ngarrangkarni Dreaming which include stories associated with rock formations, especially the Bungle Bungles (Purnululu), in the country south of Warmun  towards Halls Creek, and Chinaman's Garden.

Marika was asked by her grandfather to paint when he was still alive but she only became interested in painting as she grew older and realized the value of the old peoples' stories. She made an immediate impact on the Warmun Art Centre when she started painting in early 2005, and in July  of the same year she was voted by the artist's committee as their Chairperson.

Marika is one of the rising stars among the Warmun artist group and is also on the board of ANKAAA, the peak advisory and support agency for Aboriginal-owned art centers in Australia's Kimberley and Top End regions.

Marika has depicted her country in the form of a map. Marika Patrick's family are the traditional owners of country within what is now known as Bungle Bungles National Park. The Gija name for the country is "Purnululu."

At the top of the painting are the domes of the Purnululu "beehives." Picaninny Gorge lies between these hills. The road winds through the composition in yellow. Her family's bush camp is marked by a circle in the bottom left of the canvas. This is the site where Marika's aunt, Shirley Drill, and her family, stay when they visit their country.

The Ranger's camp is marked in brown. The blue-gray shape of the river cuts across the road. Blue Hole is an important waterhole to Patrick's family. It lies on this same river. Purnululu is an important site to Patrick and her family, who visit often. Many Ngarrankarni (Dreaming) sites are part of this country.

Year of Birth: 1978

Background:

SubsectionSkin: Nambin

Language: Gija and English

Born: Wyndham

Themes:

Willy Willy Dreaming

Chinaman's Garden

Rock formations in her grandmother's country

Purnululu (Bungle Bungles)

Medium

Natural ochres

Group Exhibitions:

2008 'The Women of Warmun: Ten years on', Gadfly Gallery, Perth, WA

2008 'New Voices in Gija Art', Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, Vic

2007 'Dog Dreamings', Seva Frangos Art, Perth, WA

2007 'Ngarrangkarni & Bible Stories', Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne, Vic

2007 'Ochre, Brushes, Canvas: new work from Warmun', Hogarth Galleries, Sydney, NSW

2007 'Warmun Snapshot', Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair, Darwin, NT

2007 'Greetings from Turkey Creek', Mary Place Gallery, Sydney, NSW

2007 'Warmun Artists in New York', Ralph Pucci Gallery, New York, USA

2006 'Bungle Bungles', Short Street Gallery, Broome, WA

2006 'Warmun Art Centre Presents', Mary Place Gallery, Sydney, NSW

2005 'Big Country', Gallery Gondwana, Alice Springs, NT

2005 'Warmun Group Show', Framed Gallery, Darwin, NT

2005 'Gija: Across the Border', Raft Artspace, Darwin, NT

Collections:

Artbank