| The name for the art centre was taken from a local plant from the area, the fan palm also known as Livistonia palm, a plant common across northern Australia and the central desert areas. In the Daly River area of the Northern Territory, women strip the merrepen leaves and boil them with crushed merrepen seeds to dye them. The coloured fibres are dried, made into string then woven to make dilly bags, baskets and mats. |
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| The Art Centre opened in 1986 and the artists are famous for their etchings and printmaking but also in addition to paintings produce a number of artifacts, using a multitude of materials and techniques in their creative expression. Using zinc plates, or lino plates, coloured ink and a press machine they produce etchings and prints, batik techniques using wax and silk painting to make t-shirts, scarves and sarongs, paper-mâché techniques to make bowls and animal figures, screen printing for tea-towels and other kind of fabric and weaving of Merrepen and pandanus leaves to make dilly bags, fishnets, baskets and sun mats. |
| The painting is done using acrylic colours on canvas materials stretched on a wooden stretcher. The artists have always been open to new ideas on how to express their stories. They quickly become accustomed to each new medium introduced by early art coordinators or workshops, constantly improving in their technical skills. |
| The beautiful paintings produced by the ladies (and small number of men) of Merrepen Arts are unique and stylistically very different to what is sometimes expected of Aboriginal art. |
| The Centre is open daily between 10.00am – 5.00pm, but it is always best to call first in case the centre is closed for community events or ceremony . |
Merrepen Art Centre (08) 8978-2533
merrepen@bigpond.com |
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