Thomas Stevens
Thomas Stevens
Born:
c. 1948
Deceased:
2005
Language Group:
Luritja/Pintupi, Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara
Country:
Areyonga, West of Alice Springs, Northern Territory and Mt Davies, South Australia (South West of Alice Springs, Northern Territory)
Medium:
Watercolour on Board, Acrylic on Canvas, Drawing
Subjects:
Landscape - Hermannsburg School, Possums, Kangaroo, Untitled Landscape
In the book 'The Heritage of Namatjira: The Watercolourists of Central Australia' edited by Jane Hardy, JVS Megaw, and M Ruth Megaw, it is noted that Thomas is the younger brother of Eubia Namatjira, who was married to Ewald Namatjira. Based on linguistic references, Thomas likely grew up in Areyonga, a region with strong connections to Pitjantjatjara land. Active from the early 1980s, Thomas painted with Papunya Tula Artists.
Vivienne Johnson, in her book 'Aboriginal Artists of the Western Desert', mentions that Thomas received the skin name Tjakamarra after marrying a woman from Papunya. He was trained in the use of pen and brush by Ewald Namatjira and became a skilled representational artist in the European style. Thomas also illustrated books for the Papunya Literature Production Centre.
In 1985, Thomas embraced the Papunya style of painting, blending elements from both Papunya Tula and traditional Hermannsburg styles. Later, after relocating to Alice Springs, his work increasingly reflected the Hermannsburg watercolour style.
Flinders University Art Museum, Adelaide, SA
1985
2nd National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT
1988
Papunya Tula Paintings, Wagga Wagga City Art Gallery, Wagga Wagga, NSW
1991
The Painted Dream: Contemporary Aboriginal Paintings from the Tim and Vivien Johnson Collection, Auckland City Art Gallery and Te Whare Taonga o Aoteroa National Art Gallery, New Zealand
1991
Heritage of Namatjira, Flinders University Art Museum, Bedford Park, SA
Hardy, J., Megaw, JVS. & Megaw, MR.
(1992) The Heritage of Namatjira - The Watercolourists of Central Australia, William Heinemann, Australia
Johnson, V.
(1994) Aboriginal Artists of the Western Desert, A Biographical Dictionary, Craftsman House
Steven, T.
(1983) The Lost Boomerang, Metheun, Australia
Hefferman, M. & Stephens, T.
(1989) The Crawling Baby Boy, Yipirinya School Council Inc, Alice Springs ©
NATSIVAD
Biographical Details
