Daisy Andrews (Munmarria)

Munmarria Daisy Andrews (c. 1935 – January 2015)

An early NATSIAA winner, Daisy Andrews' art was inspired by the beauty of her Kimberley country. She once said, "When I paint, I see that country in my head—sandhills, flowers, everything. I tell my grandkids these stories so they’ll visit this country one day. I like taking my paintings to the city to share my story."

Born at Cherrabun Station, Andrews was a Walmajarri woman whose family moved north due to drought, tribal conflicts, and settler encroachment. Despite her father’s attempts to return to their homeland, they were repeatedly blocked by authorities, and he was sometimes taken back in chains. The family was eventually sent to Moola Bulla government station.

In 1981, Andrews began literacy classes at the Karrayili Adult Education Centre. While the men wrote about their histories, the women illustrated them, sparking Andrews’ passion for painting. She exhibited nationally from 1991 and won the 1994 Telstra Award at NATSIAA for Lumpa Lumpa (Wet Time) Landscape . Her work was showcased in over 40 exhibitions and commissioned for a 12-metre backdrop for Alcina by the WA Opera.

Her paintings, known for deep reds and evocative depictions of the Great Sandy Desert’s ranges, reflect stories of loss and survival. "When I paint, I think of blood," she said, referencing massacres and the destruction of sacred sites.

A singer and cultural custodian, Andrews co-founded the Kimberley Language Resource Centre and Karrayili Adult Education Centre. Her work is held in major institutions, including the National Gallery of Australia, the Queensland Art Gallery, and the Berndt Museum. A tapestry of her painting hangs in the Australian Embassy in Tokyo.

She was married to Bunuba man Adam Andrews, whom she described as "young days love" . They had eight children.