Kaye is a senior Tiwi culture woman. She is well versed in the old ways, traditional stories and speaks the ‘hard’ Tiwi language.
Kaye started painting at Jilamara Arts and Craft later in life after she retired from work. Prior to this she taught at the local primary school and worked at the library. She loves teaching culture to the local primary school children who come to Jilamara for culture classes. She has a wealth of local knowledge about Tiwi culture and the history of the Tiwi people and ancestors.
She uses the Kayimwagakimi (carved ironwood comb) and natural ochres for Melville Island to paint. Her jilamara (body paint design) and pwoja (body) styles are very layered and reminiscent of some of the old Tiwi artists and the body painting styles hey used to prepare for ceremony and yoi (dance).
Kaye paints on bark, canvas and paper, but is particularly drawn to painting on stringybark sourced from around Milikapiti. Although relatively new to the art centre, Kaye is gaining recognition as a leading female artist at Jilamara. She is set to have her first solo exhibition in 2020 and was a finalist in the NATSIAA Bark category in 2018. She made her first limited edition print in 2017 and also has a very successful design as part of Jilamara’s screen printed textiles line.
