Trudy Nyurpaya Holland Smythe

Warakurna, WA

Trudy Nyurpaya Holland Smythe is an artist belonging to the Ngaanyatjarra language and cultural group and lives in the remote community of Warakurna, WA.

Trudy’s primarily focuses on depicting local Central Desert animals and traditional artefact-shapes using the traditional Tjanpi materials, wool, raffia and Minarri grass.

“It’s good to sit down and do it” Trudy Nyurpaya Holland speaking about why she weaves.

Trudy is part of an incredibly Artistic family, with both her mother Nora Holland and daughter, Dallas Smythe well-known Tjanpi Artists.

Following her career at the Warakurna Women’s Centre, Trudy became an acrylic painter, and only took up weaving in 2015 when her daughter Dallas won the Port Hedland Art Prize with a tjanpi artwork.

Trudy attributes a large part of her weaving knowledge to her daughter, who taught her to weave during relaxed evenings at home, and at a Tjanpi Desert Weavers skills workshop in 2015.

Trudy also facilitates her mother’s weaving, bringing her raffia and grass to the Kalgoorlie aged-care facility where Nora now lives.