Biography

Skin: Nyawurru
Language: Gija
Born: Greenvale Station, WA, c1936, grew up Old Lissadell Station
Lives: Warmun Community (Turkey Creek) WA

Lena was born on Walmanjilukum (Greenvale Station) and grew up on Old Lissadell Station. Like other young girls she was put to work on the station at an early age and worked a wide range of jobs including mustering cattle, milking the cows and general station duties. Before moving to the new Lissadell Station (which was relocated due to the development of Lake Argyle), Lena spent many years at the Derby leprosarium, initially as a patient, then as a worker. When she moved bask to Lissadell she met her husband, Ben Bandi.
Lena spent may years watching and learning from some well known Warmun artists who have now passed away, in particular Paddy Jaminji who taught her the techniques of grinding ochre and charcoal, and of rubbing the charcoal into the canvas with her hands. However, Lena didn’t start painting until 1998 as she was always working hard at other jobs in the community.
Lena has painted full-time since the Warmun Art Centre commenced operation in August 1998 and is fast developing a reputation as an original and dynamic painter.

Group Exhibitions:
1999 Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, VIC
1999 Karen Brown Gallery, Darwin, NT
1999 Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award Exhibition, Darwin, NT
1999 Japingka Gallery, Freemantle, Perth, WA
1999 Hogarth Galleries, Sydney, NSW
1999 Short Street Gallery, Broome, WA
2000 Tineriba Gallery – Adelaide Festival of the Arts – Lena Nyadbi & Eubena Nampitjin (of Balgo Hills)
2000 “Beyond the Pale” Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art
2000 Bett Gallery Hobart, TAS
2000 Chrysalis Publishing, Melbourne, VIC
2000 Her etching ‘Jimbala and Lilmim’ has recently been selected for the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award Exhibition.

Collections:
Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
Art Gallery of Western Australia
Kerry Stokes Collection
Western Mining Corporation Collection
Private Collections

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