Joy Nginana Lyons

Joy is an emerging artist with Papulankutja Artists having had her first, official exhibition opportunity with Revealed 2022 at Fremantle Art Centre. Joy is a dedicated and humble artist wiling to explore visual representations of sharing her family’s Tjukurrpa (Dreamtime). In April 2022, Joy was nominated as a finalist for the Telstra NATSIAA awards which will bring greater recognition of her practice and contribution to the maintenance of Tjukurrpa in the West of the Ngaanytjarra Lands.

Joy is one of seven siblings, three of whom also are practicing artists and leaders in the next generation of Papulankutja Artists; Mamie, Paula and Megan. Joy and her siblings grew up travelling on foot through out the Ngaanyatjarra Lands with their mother’s country being Wanarn and their father’s country in Yanka, north of Blackstone. During her childhood her family travelled throughout the Ngaanyatjara and Anangu Pitjantjatjarra, Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands visiting relatives and maintaining cultural obligations. Her mother, Edith Lyons, (a highly regarded painter) taught Joy and her siblings Ngaanyatjarra heritage, law and culture. 

Joy still lives in Blackstone today with her daughter Milliane. Joy loves going out bush with the ranger and travelling her country.