Roseranna Larry

Roseranna was born at Papunya in 1980. She is the oldest daughter of painter Susie Lane, a Western Arrernte, Warlpiri and Luritja woman from Haasts Bluff. Her father, Roy Wara Larry, was an important law man, working with local Aboriginal people and non-Indigenous people. When Roseranna was two years old her younger sister was born and her family moved to Haasts Bluff. She grew up in Haasts Bluff, though she travelled often to Willowra and Mt Deniston to visit family. Roseranna attended primary school at Haasts bluff and then went on to Yirrara College in Alice Springs. After leaving Yirrara she returned to Haasts Bluff where she attended secondary school at the old station house.

On visits to Willowra, Roseranna grew up watching her grandmother, Old Lady Morton (her fathers auntie), paint. Old Lady Morton was an Anmatyerre and Warlpiri woman from Willowra. It was her who taught Roseranna to paint and who passed down the Tjukurrpa (Dreaming) that she continues to paint today. In Haasts Bluff, Roseranna watched her other grandmother, Esther Napaltjarri Jugadai, an Arrernte, Luritja and Warlpiri woman painting at home before there was an art centre. Esther taught her about painting and how to collect the native ininti seeds that are used for ceremony. Though she grew up watching and helping her grandmothers paint, it was not until 2017, when Old Lady Morton passed away, that she began painting her story on canvas with Ikuntji Artists.

Roseranna is also a certified interpreter and works on a regular basis for all different organisations. Her father was also a translator, working at the local school and helping young people in community. It was because of him that Roseranna begun working as a translator.

Roseranna is a devoted mother of six children and four grand-children, spending much of her time caring for them. She is a strong voice in the community and has been director of the community council for several years in a row.

Roseranna participated in photography workshops throughout 2017 with Steve Pearce and was the Winner of the 2017 Desart Photography Prize. In 2018, she went to Brisbane, Queensland to take part in a week-long artist-in-residency program with IES (International Student Services). She has been involved in printing workshops at Ikuntji Artists and had an artwork featured in Parrtjima – Festival in Light 2019 in Alice Springs.