Leon Russell Black

Leon Black started school at Port Keats when he was only 4 ½  years old,  Leon moved to Darwin to go to high school at Kormilda College.  When he finished year 8 he moved to his Grandfather’s country at Garden Point (Pirlangimpi) which is a small community on Melville Island.  Leon watched his mother Nina (Lidwina) Puruntatameri paint.  In 2017 Leon asked his mother if he could paint like her.  Nina was taught by her father, Leon’s grandfather Romuald Puruntatameri who was a great artist, cultural leader and songman. Leon started to paint. He says  ‘I learnt from them, looking at them painting and carving but I only really started painting in 2017 and I really like it.  I only paint with natural ochres: red, yellow and white on black background…..in my paintings I can tell everything  about my life in Pirlangimpi, paint all these things in the Tiwi way, in my way, my own way.’ Cameron is a finalist in the 2021 Telstra  NATSIAA  and also in the 2021 Churchie Emerging Artist