Lilly Kelly

Lilly Kelly

Lilly Kelly Napangardi was born at Haasts Bluff NT in 1948. She moved to the newly established settlement of Papunya in the 1960's. During her time in Papunya, Lilly engaged in painting activities, notably assisting with works by her husband Norman Kelly. Lilly returned to Mt Liebig with her husband in the early 1980's.

Lilly is now one of the senior Law Women of the community, teaching the younger women traditional dancing and singing. Lilly has three children and eleven grandchildren

Lilly began painting in her own right in the early 1980's, winning the Northern Territory Art Award for painting in 1986.

In her most recent works Lilly paints sand hills, wind and 'after rain' in her country near Mt. Liebig and the Haasts Bluff area, in addition to depicting sandhills of the Kintore and Connistan areas. Lilly holds authority over the Women Dreaming story associated with Kunajarrayi.