Warmun art is unique.

Each canvas is painted using traditional ochre and natural pigments handcollected in the Kimberley. Artists are adept at making their own paints and mixing ochres into a full range of colours. The work draws on traditional Ngarrangkarni (Dreaming) stories as well as contemporary events and artists’ life experiences.

Warmun Art Centre was established in 1998 by leading artists of the Warmun (Turkey Creek) community. The Centre is wholly owned and managed by the Warmun artist group, and 100% of income from sales is returned back to the community.

Warmun Community was home to leading indigenous artists Rover Thomas, Queenie McKenzie, Jack Britten and Hector Jandany, who passed on many of the traditional stories and painting techniques. Now internationally renowned ochre painters Lena Nyadbi, Patrick Mung Mung, Mabel Juli, Shirley Purdie, Madigan Thomas, Gordon Barney, Phyllis Thomas, Churchill Cann and Betty Carrington lead the way for a group of more than sixty emerging and younger artists currently painting for the art centre.

This new generation of Warmun artists works with the same, time-honoured materials and stories. The emerging works display a fresh, original and vibrant style that transcends cultural boundaries and places many Warmun artists at the forefront of contemporary art in Australia.

The Warmun Art Centre provides artists with economic independence and the opportunity to share their Gija culture and country with visitors. Operating as a studio for artists, the Centre – formerly located in the original Turkey Creek Post Office – has a new, architect-designed exhibition-sales space that opened in 2007. Now the display of other Warmun-made objects is possible: existing ranges of etchings and art cards will be expanded in 2008, and jewellery and handpainted silk will be added.

Warmun Art Centre is situated in the East Kimberley, Western Australia. The Centre is located in the Warmun (Turkey Creek) Community, halfway between Halls Creek and Kununurra, along the Great Northern Highway.

The Centre is generally open Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm and visitors are welcome. You will find a public phone and directions at the Warmun (formerly Turkey Creek) Roadhouse.

A verbal permit is required to enter the Warmun (Turkey Creek) Community. Please phone us on 08-9168 7496.