Biography

Kay Baker was born in the early 1950s near the mission of Ernabella, in the APY lands of South Australia. Her father was the famous Pitjantjatjara artist Jimmy Baker, whose nickname comes from the fact that he began his career as a ‘baker’, before becoming a sheep farmer.

In the early 2000s, Kay was the driving force behind the creation of the Tjunku Palya Arts Centre in Fregon. Kay studied at Lutheran Yirara College in Alice Springs before returning to Fregon, where she worked at the Fregon Art Centre and learned arts and crafts, mainly batik, from her grandmother. Kay was also involved in the creation of the small community of Kanpi in the APY Lands.

Kay Baker is part of the Tjungu Palya community, not far from Uluru, in the north of South Australia. This art centre brings together artists who have been able to preserve a traditional Aboriginal life punctuated by religious ceremonies. These paintings perfectly illustrate the artist's strong link with the myths of her people, which she expresses in a powerful style that moves away from dot-painting towards undulating lines that convey a striking energy.

Collections:
•National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
•Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide