Dena Gower 

Artist Bio:  

Dena was born on Wadjuk Country and grew up on Wilman Country in Narrogin, on the Aboriginal reserve on Cuballing road. Some of her key memories are going down to the creeks looking for Joolgies (freshwater crayfish) which she would catch with her hands before taking back home to share with family around the campfire. Walking through the paddocks for many kilometres with her family and friends looking for mushrooms all day until it was almost dark, before turning around and heading back home. She would also collect berries in Foxes Lair often fighting the bobtails, laying across the paths feeding from the same berry bush and swimming all day with her cousins and friends at Narrogin Dam looking around for booyi (turtles) and nyingarns (porcupines). This deep connection to Country and knowledge of the plants and animals inspire many of Dena’s lively designs.  

Dena married into Yawuru family and moved to Rubibi, Broome with her children in 2022. She joined Nagula Jarndu to continue her art practice and connect with likeminded women. Dena also has her own family connections to Fitzroy Crossing, which were lost due to stolen generations. She is currently engaged in research to discover these parts of her ancestry and find family stories linking her to the Kimberley.  

Dena is a prolific artist and her loose, playful drawing style speaks to her happy disposition and the generous spirit that she brings to the art centre each day.