Esther Giles (c1946-2018)
Esther Giles grew up living the traditional nomadic lifestyle in the desert. Her family moved to the newly established Papunya government settlement, but she later returned to live in her country. Like her sister Tjawina Porter, Esther was a skilled weaver before her exceptional painting skills came to the fore. Her artworks represent the traditional homelands associated with her ancestral heritage. Full of detailed symbolism, her works depict tali (sand dunes), puli (rock escarpments), waterholes and food sources. Her designs are often used in body art during traditional corroborees.
In the years that Esther painted, she achieved worldwide recognition, participating in many national and international solo and group exhibitions. Her works are in private and public collections in Australia and overseas.
