Dorothy was born at Mina Mina. Mina Mina is situated to the west of Yuendumu, in the Tanami Desert of the Northern Territory, approximately 400km north-west of Alice Springs. Before her death, Dorothy resided in Alice Springs and painted full-time in her own studio.

Dorothy grew up in a traditional Aboriginal social environment and first came into contact with white society when her family walked into the pastoral station of Mount Doreen. She learnt the law and stories associated with her country whilst walking the desert with her family as a young girl.

Dorothy has a very individual painting style which she developed by elaborating on the traditional designs of the Kurawarri (dreaming). The consistently high quality of her work won her much acclaim as a fine artist of distinction. She began painting in 1987 and paints her country, Mina Mina. Her view of Mina Mina changes from one painting to the next.