Deutscher and Hackett

Bill Whiskey Tjapaltjarri was a senior figure within his community, learned in traditional values and a respected healer (Ngangkari). Whiskey was born in Pintjanjatjara country at Pirupa Akla to the west of Uluru (Ayers Rock) around 1920. His early life was spent moving across the country from one freshwater source to another. When his father died as a result of clan conflict, Whiskey moved north to the Lutheran Mission community of Haasts Bluff where he was employed as a cook. There he was introduced to Colleen Nampitjinpa who later became his wife and mother to their five children. After spending some time at Papunya, Whiskey moved with his family to Mt. Liebig where he became the community's traditional healer.

In December of 2005, by which time Bill Whiskey Tjapaltjarri was in his eighties, he first began painting. Gaining almost instant recognition for his bold, colourful compositions, the artist painted with a confidence drawn from the position of respect he occupied as a Ngangkari. As with the majority of the artist's work, this painting Rockholes near the Olgas depicts stories of his country, Pirupa Akla (Olgas and Uluru), and of the locations remembered from his travels as a young man to Areyonga and Haasts Bluff.