Nancy Marie Kerinauia began working at Jilamara in 2018. She always wanted to join the art centre as she has strong family ties to many artists who have worked in Milikapiti and enjoyed successful careers at the art centre. Her grandfather was Black Joe and her mother Katrina Kerinauia, both have passed away but remain well known for their artwork.

Nancy is quickly establishing herself as a young and talented emerging artist at Jilamara Arts. She often paints using the kayimwagakimi – a hand crafted ironwood comb used to apply rows of dots instead of a stick or brush. She has a very fine style of jilamara (Tiwi body paint design) and applies this alongside images of her clan totems to create contemporary new work.

At Jilamara Arts and Crafts, Nancy works both in the studios as an exciting new artist and also helps in the screen-printing workshop to create Jilamara’s range of locally made textile designs.