Sarah Josephine Lane

Sarah was born in Warburton to mother Freda Lane (nee Forbes) and father Paddy Lane. She has lived most of her life in Papulankutja (Blackstone) apart from schooling in Norseman and then Esperance on the south coast of Western Australia. She lived at Fairhaven whilst attending secondary school.

Her mother was one of the first artists to start painting at the art centre, she started when it was still a Women’s Centre delivering Health and Aged Care (HAC) services. “I was working with my mum, she was painting at HAC. I always watched her, she always made paintings.”

For a long time Sarah looked after her ageing mother in Papulankutja before Freda went to live in Wanarn Nursing Home where she resides now.

Sarah has five adult children who all live in the Ngaanyatjarra Lands, three daughters and two sons. Her first husband has passed away and her second husband Lawrence Mitchell is also an artist.

Sarah’s father was from Mantamaru, it was his mother’s country. Her mother was born at Wirrju rockhole just east of Papulankutja and had five sisters from eldest to youngest, Topsy, Doren, Freda, Shirley, May and Stella.

Sarah enjoys making arts and crafts and has been an active tjarnpi (grass) weaver and also makes purnu (wood) carvings and gumnut seed jewellery. Sarah’s art practice themes are Seven sisters, Tjitji Kutjara (The story of two boys from the country around Jameson), and Tali (sand hill).