I paint with the Kayimwagakimi, the traditional Tiwi comb carved from ironwood. Sometimes its called pwoja which also means bone. The painting comb is made from ironwood, and is used to paint on the body, on pukumani poles and on bark. My partner made me my comb, he was an artist, a great carver and I used to paint his carvings and Tutini (Pukumani poles). He passed away a long time ago. I use ochres from the Tiwi Islands for my painting.
I was born on Bathurst Island and raised by my grandmother Daisey. I grew up on Bathurst and came across to Milikapiti in 1985 and started coming to the screenprinting workshop at the adult education programme. I was here when it became Jilamara, a few years later. I was sewing, making skirts, printing and painting.
I have travelled everywhere for my painting, to Canbarra to the Museum, to Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth. In Melbourne we did a screen printing workshop the meat market.
I do screenprinting here now, I teach the younger ladies.
Raelene’s artistic career began and was recognised at the age of 13 when she won a prize in a school art competition for a painting titled After the men burn the bush.
She has since built a burgeoning art career winning the Xstrata Coal Emerging Indigenous Art Award held at the Queensland Art Gallery in 2006 and the Bark Painting Award, 28th NATSIAA held at the Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory in 2011.
