Alma Webou (Kalaju)
Alma Webou (Kalaju) was born c1928. Her skin name is Milangka and her language group is Yulparija. "Pinkalakara is my place I was born and grew up, this is my mothers country. It is in the Great Sandy Desert near Joanna Spring on Anna Plains station close to the Canning Stock Route. This country has lots of Mayi (bush food). I lost my mummy and sister here". Alma cries when she paints Pinkalarta as many of her family died as a result of the severe droughts in this country in the 1960's and forced her to leave her country with her husband and children and to make her way to Bidyadanga in the late sixties. She has had a very tragic life, and is a law woman and well respected in the community.
Solo Exhibitons
2005) Pinkalarta, Short St Gallery @ Mary's Place, Paddington, Sydney
Group Exhibitions
2003 Manyiljara, Short st. Gallery, Broome
2004 Desert Ocean, Short st. Gallery @ Kidogo Gallery, Fremantle
2004 Divas of the Desert, Gallery Gondwana, Alice Springs
2004 Bidyadanga Artists, William Mora Gallery, Melbourne
2004 Bidyadanga Art, Art House Gallery, Sydney
2004 National Telstra Art Awards, Northern Territory Art Gallery, Darwin
2004 Bidyadanga Artists, Raft Art Space, Darwin
2004 Desert t o Saltwater, Short st. Gallery @ Mary Place Gallery, Paddington
2005 The return of our land, Gallery Gondwana, Alice Springs, NT
2005 Mummy + daughter, Jan Billycan and Alma Webou, Willam Mora Galleries, Melbourne, VIC
2005 Painting Country - A West to East Journey, World Expo Aichi, Japan
2005 Bidyadanga 2005 - Recent Works, Short St Gallery, Broome WA
2006 Northern Journey, The Priory at Bingie, Bingie, NSW Bidyadanga Women, Chapman Gallery, Canberra, ACT
2006 Outback Art Prize, Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery, Broken Hill, NSW
Collections
National Gallery of Victoria
Laverty Collection
Myer Collection
Sam Barry Collection
National Gallery of Australia
Harvey Wagner Collection, USA
Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery Permant Collection, Broken Hill, NSW
Bibliography
The Age Newspaper "Yulparija show their colours:" April 19 2004
The Australian Newspaper, "West Coast's Late Bloomers" April 2004
The Australian Financial Review Magazine "Art Direction" June 2004
Colour Power Catalogue, National Gallery of Victoriaa Colour Power: Aboriginal Art Post 1984, CD-ROM, NGV
Painting Country-A West to East Journey, World Expo Aichi, Catalogue. July 2005
Dynasties, Series:4, Ep:8, The Mora Family, Jan 06
Source: Short St Gallery, Broome