ALPERSTEIN DESIGNS | Watson Robertson Drawstring Bag

Sometimes we want a lightweight bag to take on errands. Ditching the sweaty leather, synthetic or man-made material for 100% cotton is an easy decision when you have designs featuring works by some of Australia's talented artists such as First Nations artist Watson Robertson. 

Watson Jangala Robertson was born into a family of established Warlpiri artists and grew up in the Yuendumu community, located 290 km north-west of Alice Springs. His family would take him out bush, around Nyirripi and Yuendumu, showing him sites and teaching him the traditional ways of his country. 

Watson doesn't restrict his colour palette to depict his traditional iconography so he has developed a modern individual style, using bold designs in many ways. 

Just as he was taught growing up, he often spends time hunting for food and bush tucker with family and friends, hunting for food such as goanna, kangaroo, snake, and witchetty grubs as well as bush tucker, such as native currants, bush potato and bush banana.

Established in 1985, Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation is an Aboriginal owned and governed art centre located in Yuendumu and Nyirripi. Watson began to paint with the corporation in 2016.

As shown, Watson paints his Mother’s Watiya-warnu Jukurrpa (Seed Dreaming - top) and his grandfather’s Ngapa Jukurrpa – Puyurru (Water Dreaming - bottom), stories passed down to him through the many generations such as creation stories that relate to his family’s traditional country.

These traditions stretch back for millennia.

Each Watson Robertson drawstring bag has a unique print placement so each will  differ slightly from the image shown. Information about Watson Robertson is included with the artwork.