Julie Anderson

Apatula (Finke), NT

Julie Anderson

Julie Anderson is an artist belonging to the Pitjantjatjara language and cultural group and is from the remote community of Finke, Northern Territory.

Julie was born in the 50's at Victory Downs Station, 300 kilometres south of Alice Springs near the South Australian border. As a child Julie lived at Victory Downs with her sisters. Julie learnt English on the Station and as she got older she began work as a station hand. Julie has vivid memories of watching tourists passing through on their way to Uluru.

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In 1983, Julie moved from Victory Downs to the community of Apatula (Finke), NT, to be closer to her mother. When she first moved to Apatula, Julie worked at the store, cleaning and stocking shelves, and later at the school as a cleaner and groundskeeper. During this time Julie also made punu artworks for Maruku Arts. From 2001 to 2003 Julie lived in Alice Springs for renal dialysis. In 2004 Julie travelled to Adelaide for a kidney transplant and was able to move back to Apatula.

In 2018, Julie returned to Alice Springs for renal dialysis. It was here, that fellow Tjanpi artist, Margaret Smith taught Julie how to make her first Tjanpi basket. Julie has been weaving with a passion since and her works are characterised by a wonderful sense of colour. Julie loves making Tjanpi because it keeps her busy and that while she is making it she ‘can just concentrate on Tjanpi, nothing else’.

Testament to Julie’s quickly developed weaving skills, in 2019, Julie was a finalist in the Vincent Lingiari Art Award at Tangentyere Gallery in Alice Springs, NT. Julie also exhibited work in Koskela’s Ngalya/Together in Sydney, NSW and at Tarnanthi Festival in Adelaide, SA.

'When I do baskets I just forget about everything you know... I enjoy it.. When I see it on somebody else’s shelf it makes me feel proud.' - Julie, 2021

Julie is also currently an elected director of NPY Women's Council.

Our Artists

Tjanpi Desert Weavers is a social enterprise of the Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (NPY) Women’s Council that enables women living in the remote Central and Western deserts to earn an income from fibre art.

Tjanpi represents over 400 Aboriginal women artists from 26 remote communities who make spectacular contemporary fibre art in the form of baskets and sculptures.