Lucky Morton Kngwarreye

Artist: Lucky Morton Kngwarreye
Skin name: Kngwarreye (also spelled Kngwarrey, Ngwarai) 
Language group: Alyawarr
Country: Ngkwarlerlanem and Arnkawenyerr
Area: Utopia Region, Central Australia
Born: 1950 

Lucky has featured in many group exhibitions since beginning her artistic career in 1977. The oldest daughter of Utopian artist Mary Morton Kemarre, Lucky participated in batik workshops that were held in Utopia from 1977 to 1987 with her mother and younger siblings. Her work is represented in the Holmes á Court Collection which was exhibited extensively within Australia and abroad. Lucky transitioned to painting in the summer of 1988-9 as part of CAAMA’s ‘The First works on Canvas, a Summer Project’.

As a child, Lucky attended a bush school near Hatcher’s Creek which is North East of Utopia and spent her childhood years growing up around Kurrajong Camp in Utopia and MacDonnell Downs Station. Much of her family of artists as well, including sisters Sarah Morton Kngwarreye, Hazel Morton Kngwarreye, Ruby Morton Kngwarreye and Audrey Morton Kngwarreye. 

Lucky paints an extraordinary variety of stories which belong to her two countries; Ngkwarlerlanem and Arnkawenyerr. These include Alhepalh and Ilyarnayt.