105-year-old ‘Granny Daisy’s’ Art Receives Worldwide Acclaim

Daisy Loongkoonan is a quietly spoken Aboriginal elder of the Nyikina people who live in the remote Kimberley region.  At the ripe old age of 95, she discovered she had an unknown talent. 

Now 105, Daisy’s beautiful artworks are winning international acclaim.

“I paint Nyikina country the same way eagles see country when they are high up in the sky,” she told the ABC.

Diane Mossenson from the Mossenson Gallery says, “Her first paintings were very simple works but she quickly progressed to painting some more complex and beautiful works.”

“Her works quickly became very complex,” Ms. Mossenson continued.

“I think they reflect both the fact she is a naturally fantastic painter and that she is also painting a topic very dear to her heart – her country, and bush tucker, and the river. She has passionately created beautiful paintings.”  

Anthony Watson from the Kimberley Land Council says, “Granny Daisy brings a lot of stories with her paintings to our young members. It’s amazing she’s still doing this work even though she’s over 100, so it’s very important that it’s preserved.”

Her paintings are currently being shown at the Art Gallery of South Australia as an integral part of the Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art.

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