Paul Thomas

Born: 1980, Port Hedland

Language: Martu Wangka

Lives: South Hedland/ Warralong Community, Western Australia

“I was born in Port Hedland. May Chapman [Martu artist who paints with Spinifex Hill Studio] is my mother. I went to Strelley school and Warralong school. I stayed at Warralong for a few years and then I went through Lore and travelled around to every community, like Jigalong, Punmu and Cotton Creek [Kunawarritji].

I came back to Warralong and started work, mustering cattle, mechanic work at Strelley, cleaning up community, fixing fence and all that. I used to work at the school for two years, teaching kids.

I do a little bit of art at Warralong. I paint different to my family, landscapes and all that, dot painting, and you know the White House [Wapa Maya, at Bloodwood Tree, South Hedland]? I used to be painting there too. I got two, three paintings in there.”