Doreen’s story as told by her mother Maywokka (Mayiwalku) Chapman.
Been born Jigalong. Big sister for my son, Dennis Thomas. He been come this way, Hedland. Doreen, and me, are from Karntimarta, Warralong. I been bring him here. Little girls he start painting, in Warralong. He looking … looking … he quick painter, quickly, looking, looking. No fishing, no hunting, no car, painting, painting every day eh? You been bring ‘em, he painting, painting, painting!
Doreen was born in Jigalong in 1971 and has spent her life moving between Western Desert communities in the Pilbara. She is a Manyjilyjarra artist and has spent the majority of her adult life in Warralong, a community 120km south-east of Port Hedland. She started painting with her mother, Maywokka (Mayiwalku) Chapman, and she first exhibited with Martumili Artists in 2010. While Doreen started painted at Martumili Artists, in recent years she has spent more time in Port Hedland, painting at Spinifex Hill Studio. Doreen is deaf so painting is a key way she communicates and tells stories.