Sheila Friday Jones
Born about 1940, died 2011
Manyjilyjarra language group, Purungu skin group
Wiluna
Tjukurba Gallery
Sheila grew up around Mungarlu and was amongst the first families to walk south into Wiluna. After stealing a watermelon from one of the stations, the family successfully evaded a police tracker who was following them. In Wiluna, Sheila married Friday Jones and had three girls. She began painting at Ullalla Station with her niece Georgia Brown in about 2003. Sheila passed away in 2011.
My Country
2007, by Sheila Friday Jones, acrylic on canvas, 124×99 cm, Birriliburu Artists, Tjukurba Gallery, National Museum of Australia
I come from the desert with my three brothers. Our family come from Mungarlu area. We went [through] Carnegie Station, me and all the old peoples. They used to steal the mirrka [food] from the whitefellas just to keep us going. Georgina Brown’s mother was travelling with us, she’s my sister. We were the first ones to walk into town. One tracker was following us round and round because old people been stealing mirrka. But we were a little bit tricky for him.
