Ruby Djikarra Alderton

I am a Gumatj, Yolngu woman from a small community 800km’s North-East of Darwin, situated on the tip of the Gulf of Carpentaria, Arnhem Land, Yirrkala NT. I honestly couldn’t tell you when exactly I started my own artistic journey, some of my earliest memories are being on my mother’s hip in an art studio somewhere. But my heart has always been in art. Both printmaking and painting have been a part of my life from the very beginning. My mother, Dr B Marika AO (1954-2021), was in my eyes, a truly amazing woman. She was so incredibly rich with knowledge and we miss her dearly, every day. 

Mum was taught to paint by my grandfather, Mawalan (1) Marika (1908-1967) with ochres, on stringy bark. Not only was ngathi Mawalan an artist, he was clan leader of the Rirratjingu bapurru. Rirratjngu are the traditional owners of Yirrkala, were the mission appeared in the 1930s. He was also a statesman who helped initiate Australia’s first Aboriginal land rights case in 1963. Ngathi Mawalan was also the initial plaintiff in the case, Milirrpum and Os. v. Nabalco Pty. Ltd. and the Commonwealth of Australia 1971.  

I was born in the township of Nhulunbuy in Gove Hospital in 93. When I was very little dad and I moved away to Darwin, where we lived for a few years. Then after Darwin we moved down south to Newcastle, NSW, to be closer to my grandparents. I returned to live with mum in Yirrkala as a teenager. This is when mum encouraged me to not only help her in her practice but to really think about my own art practice as well. This is what led me to be becoming a printmaker and arts worker at Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Arts for 3 years. In 2013 I became a mother myself and after my second in 2014 I decided to move back to Newcastle. During my time living in Newcastle I worked as an independent artist and also worked with ArtBack NT & Buku with a nationally touring exhibition, Balnhdhurr – A Lasting Impression.  

Loosing mum so suddenly hit me harder than expected. By Christmas 2022 my little family and I found ourselves in Port Hedland, WA. I walked into Spini as an artist trying to find my way back and 12 months later am now proudly the studio technical co-ordinator. Spinifex Hill Studio was such a bright and comfortable feeling space and pivotal in helping me with my healing.