Dinny’s date of birth has been put as far back as 1922 or even earlier and as far forward as 1944. The artist said that he survived the Coniston massacre of 1928, which would lend credence to the earlier date. He was born close to present-day Yuendumu and spent many years working as a stockman across the Territory before settling in Papunya in the mid ’70s. A senior custodian for the Warlpiri people, he is officially recognised as leader of rainmaking and Water Dreaming ceremonies and is well-known for his powerful singing voice. Encouraged by his cousins Clifford Possum and Billy Stockman , and 'brother’ Kaapa Tjampitjinpa , Dinny joined the painting group in the mid 1970s. In 1977 he travelled to Melbourne for a show of Papunya Tula Artists at the Realities Gallery, staying with artist Trevor Nickolls. In 1981 Dinny visited Sydney with Paddy Carroll to construct one of the first sand paintings seen outside of Central Australia. The same year he executed a print at the Victorian Print Workshop. In 1988 he and Maxie Tjampitjinpa were Artists-in-Residence at the Wagga Wagga City Art Gallery. He also painted for the Centre for Aboriginal Artists in Alice Springs during the late 1980s and 1990s. His Dreamings include Water, Willy Willy, Pelican, Bush Turkey, Emu, Goanna and Bushfire.
- Writers:
- Johnson, Vivien
Note: primary biographer
- Date written:
- 1994
- Last updated:
- 2011
