The Dreamtime Story MILAPUKALA THE COCKATOO-WOMAN series were created first in 1980s and revisited 2021

CALLING THE SPIRIT PEOPLE encaustic multi-media artist Marilyn Barrington

pencil sketch of cockatoo Museum study

Pencil sketch of Cockatoo

Cockatoo bowl

outer rim of bowl

Milapukula the Cockatoo-Woman Plate

Onglaze painted clay slabs mounted with clear perspex backing and framed in Jarrah Depicting parts of the Dreamtime Story of Milapukula the Cockatoo Woman

Artist Statement         Marilyn Barrington

Inspired by the Aboriginal Dreamtime Story MILAPUKALA THE COCKATOO-WOMAN When Jinini the son of Purukupala died his father was so frenzied with grief that he drowned himself in a whirlpool. In those remote times when a death was to be mourned it was the duty of Tukumbini the yellow-faced honey-eater to call the mythical beings together to carry out the rituals. At the conclusion of the rites they returned to their camps in various parts of the island to create food for the aborigines who would later populate the land. The cockatoo-woman Milapukala created a large fresh-water lagoon Milapuru and then many rocky headlands and open plains around its shores . She then decreed that many food creatures should make this place their home so that there would be much food in the country she had created. Then she transformed herself into a cleft rock on the shores of the Milapuru lagoon. At fixed times every year the aborigines of that country assemble at the totemic rock and perform rituals to commemorate the exploits of Milapukala as well as magically to increase the creatures and plants.

I decided to upskill an earlier artwork from 1980s when I exhibited hand painted Porcelain with handformed clay slabs partially glazed and then painted with onglaze paints depicting the theme of MILAPUKALA THE COCKATOO-WOMAN.  

Applying Gesso to board then applying pigmented permanent inks as a base to work on I then applied  encaustic (beeswax & damar resin) markmaking and collage are worked between the layers finally attaching  the clay slab to create a new artwork.

The Dreamtime Stories of the Aboriginal People are a source of inspiration that I endeavour to capture in a unique way Birds feature strongly in my work striving to  capture a moment in time an emotional connection with the viewer.