Indigenous Directors

Ikuntji Artists is member based organisation and has a board of Indigenous directors all of whom live and work locally. Board members are elected by the members each year at the Annual general Meeting. Our 2024 directors are; Roseranna Larry, Pam Brown, Daphne Marks, Keturah Zimran and Walter Jugadai

Dr Chrischona Schmidt

Chrischona is the Art Centre Manager and has been with Ikuntji Artists since 2012. Prior to coming to Ikuntji Artists she completed her PhD research at the Research School of Humanities and the Arts, Australian National University focusing on the history of the Utopia art movement. Chrischona has worked for the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, the National Museum of Australia, the Strehlow Research Centre and auction houses and galleries across Australia and overseas. Chrischona speaks fluently German and French, which greatly helps with overseas galleries and visitors.

Christian Koch

Christian has been the Assistant Manager at Ikuntji Artists since 2012. At the art centre, Christian’s role is diverse, from working with artists and building canvas frames to filming artists life stories and taking artist portraits and photographing artworks. Christian is also a mentor for art workers, helping to developing their skills in both photography and hands on manual jobs.

Nisa Richy

Nisa is the studio and gallery assistant at Ikuntji and has been working with the art centre since 2016 when she interned. Nisa has an academic background in anthropology and art history from the University of Queensland. She assists in a broad range of jobs both in the art centre and remotely. As the studio and gallery assistant her role ranges from supporting artists, recording artists life stories and artwork stories as well as sales and administration in the gallery.

Kelly Dixon

Kelly Dixon is our rock star arts worker, and has been working with Ikuntji Artists since 2017. Kelly is dedicated to her work at the art centre and is always keen to learn new skills. Kelly is a jewellery maker, painter, sewer and screen-printer. Her role ranges from assisting artists, mixing paints and preparing canvas, screen-printing t-shirts and fabrics and much more. Each year, Kelly travels all over Australia with the art centre for art fairs and events to sell paintings and run jewellery making workshops.

Kelly is the daughter of acclaimed artist Alice Nampitjinpa Dixon and Lindsay Tjapaltjarri. Her mother’s sister is Inyuwa Nampitjinpa. Kelly is the granddaughter of Papunya Tula Artists founding member Uta Uta Tjangala (Alice’s step father). Kelly was born in Lambara outstation, West of Papunya, in 1970. She first came to Haasts Bluff with her mother and father when she was four years old. Kelly primarily grew up in Haasts Bluff, though has spent much time travelling.

Arts Workers

Ikuntji Artists also employs local Indigenous people in a range of casual positions throughout the year. As an aboriginal run and owned corporation, a key role of the art centre is to offer ongoing and flexible employment opportunities. Arts workers work in a rage of roles including screen-printing, jewellery making, assisting artists, landscaping and gardening in the native plant garden, running cultural workshops with university tour groups and much more.

Translators

Ikuntji Artists also works with a number of local certified Indigenous translators and interpreters to delivery bilingual project throughout the year. Key projects include: interviewing artists for their life stories and artwork stories and translating texts and film.