Queenie McKenzie

High on Art opened an exhibition of Queenie McKenzie on Wednesday 20 Oct 2004, the exhibition ran until 7 November 2004. The exhibition showed 16 paintings, largely from one private collection. It was a rare opportunity to view a number of major works from this extraordinary deceased artist. Her last solo exhibition was in 1997 in Melbourne.

Her works are of major importance and rank with the best works created by Emily Kngwarreye Maggie Watson and Dorothy Napangardi.

Queenie McKenzie had a relatively short artistic career only beginning painting in the late 1980. Her friend Rover Thomas the most famous male Aboriginal artist was her source of inspiration.

Born about 1930 on Old Texas Station, on the banks of the Ord River in East Kimberly. Queenie spent most of her early adult life as stock camp cook on new Texas Downs, whilst here she was able to acquire knowledge of this area before later moving to Warmun in the mid 1970’s. In Warmun she watched the other artist paint and decided that would like to do this also.

In 1990 she began painting for Waringarri Aboriginal Arts, Kununurra where her work was first exhibited, she mined the ochre's herself from which she created a unique palette of pink and purple. She was a mentor to young artists and in the process helped to establish the first wholly owed art center of Gidja art and culture.