Mabel Juli

Mabel Juli (bush name Wiringgoon) was born at Five Mile, near Moola Boola Station (south of Warmun), and was taken as a baby to Springvale Station, her mother's country. She started work on the station as a little girl, and  as a young woman moved to Bedford Downs Station and Bow River Station to work. Juli's mother is Mary Peters. Juli is one of seven children - six boys and Mabel. There are only three of the children alive today: Mabel, Rammel and Rusty Peters.

When Juli was a young girl, she left Springvale Station to be with her promised husband. Together they moved to different cattle stations in the Kimberley, including Bow River and Bedford Downs. Mabel and her husband had six children. Juli's husband passed away in 1982 when Mabel was 42. Mabel Juli is a senior Warmun artist. She is a strong Law and Culture woman and an important ceremonial singer and dancer. Juli started painting in the 1980s, at the same time as well-known Warmun artists Queenie McKenzie and Madigan Thomas.  The women used to watch Rover Thomas paint and one day he said to them, 'You try yourself, you might make good painting yourself'.  Juli says, 'I started thinking about my country, I give it a try. Juli is a dedicated, innovative artist who continues to work in natural earth pigments on canvas.  She primarily paints the Ngarrangkarni (Dreaming) stories of her country Darrajayin (also spelt Tarrajayan), which is covered largely by Springvale Station.

biographical information provided by Warmun Art Centre