Language: Kanpi
Country: Pitjatjantjara

Teresa Baker was born in Alice Springs in 1977 and grew up in Kanpi where she lived with her grandparents, the well-known artist Jimmy baker and his wife. When she first lived in Kanpi, the community was in its early stages of development and had no houses. Later she moved to Fregon to live with her mother, artist Kay Baker. She completed her schooling in Fregon and in Adelaide. After leaving school Teresa began working at a Kanpi school teaching Pitjanjara language. Teresa started painting in 2005 at Tjungu Palya art centre where she was taught by her grandfather, Jimmy. Teresa is a talented and intuitive artist, whose paintings possess a great depth of expression. Many of her works depict the woman’s creation figure Marlilu. Teresa is married with 3 children and currently spends her time between Alice Springs, Kanpi and her homelands at Watarru. This is the country for Malilu. She is a creation being from the Tjukurpa (Dreamtime). She has been dancing, performing Inma important ceremonial dancing for this country and she has left her dancing tracks behind in the sand. Malilu was a crippled woman and her two daughters had run off to get married, leaving her to fend for herself. It was very hard for her to collect bush foods and water because she had to drag her leg as she walked. Through much effort she collected desert raisins, bush tomatoes, berries and many different kinds of wild foods.