Born around Docker River near the SA/NT/WA border, Andrew Bullen was a young boy when he came in with his family to the country around the newly established ration depot of Haasts Bluff in the late ’40s. He received no European schooling, and as he grew to manhood, the group moved across to camp at the site of present day Papunya. Later he did stockwork, mustering cattle south of Haasts Bluff around Dirty Water Creek. He was employed in Papunya as a healthworker when he began painting for Papunya Tula Artists in about 1980. He and his wife, Barbara Maka, also a healthworker, then lived and worked at one of the Docker River outstations and later settled at Mt Liebig. His father was of the Pitjantjatjara language group and his country lay around Docker River. Andrew Bullen’s paintings usually depicted Kangaroo and Native Tobacco Dreamings from this area, and a Man’s Dreaming story which he received from his mother and uncle.
- Writers:
- Johnson, Vivien
Note: primary biographer
- Date written:
- 1994
- Last updated:
- 2011
