Billy Cooley

Billy Cooley was born on a cattle station on the Barkly Tablelands of the Northern Territory and spent much of his early life as a stockman. He and his Pitjantjatjara wife, Lulu have always worked closely together raising their six children and making spectacular carvings on their homeland, Ulaipa near Amata on the APY Lands of South Australia. They have been long term directors of Maruku, working closely with management for decades. The couple has participated in many exhibitions and carving demonstrations at Uluru as well as nationally and overseas.

Billy's snakes are in high demand worldwide. His distinctive design was copied from a real snake. His great carving skills can be seen in the way his snakes are shaped. They have also collaborated with Sydney designer Tony Hurd on a furniture series with Altone Design. 

Billy and Lulu now take great pride in passing on their skills not only to their children but grand and great-grandchildren as well.

Group Exhibitions

2024 Waru Walkatjunanyi ~ Drawing on Fire, Chapman and Bailey, Melbourne, VIC.

2023 Miles Allen and Maruku Arts: Tjukurpa Putitja/Bush Stories, Fireworks Gallery, Brisbane, QLD..

2023 Desert Mob 2023, Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs, NT.

2022 Desart Mob, Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs, NT.

2022 Ngura winkiku – Many Places Exhibition, Maruku Group Show, Burgman College Gallery, Canberra, ACT.

2021 Walytjarara Walytjarara – Punu Painta Putukurapa: All in the Family – wood carving, painting, photography, Everywhen Art Gallery.

2021 Walytjarara Walytjarara – Punu Painta Putukurapa: All in the Family – wood carving, painting, photography, June Marriott Gallery, Central Craft Araluen Cultural Precinct, Alice Springs NT.

2021 Desert Mob 30, Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT.

2020 Walka - Design from the NPY Lands and the Central Australian Desert, Hazelhurst Gallery, Sydney, NSW.

2020 Desert Mob 2020, Araluen Arts Center, Alice Springs, NT.

2020 Punu-Living Wood, Salon Arts Projects, Paul Johnstone Gallery, Darwin NT.

2020 Punu-Living Wood, Salon Arts Projects, Paul Johnstone Gallery, Darwin NT.

2019 Maruku Artist Exhibition, Art Mark, Canberra, ACT.

2019 Desert Mob 2019, Araluen Arts Center, Alice Springs, NT.

2019 Maruku Arts: Stories of Place, Language and Ceremony Exhibition, Northern Sydney Council Chambers, Sydney, NSW.

2019 Punu - Living Wood, Sturt Gallery, Mittagong, NSW.

2018 Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair, Convention Centre, Darwin, NT.

2018 A Sydney Flower and Garden Show, Artsite Galleries, Sydney, NSW.

2018 Malatja tjutangku ara irititja kunpungku kanyini - Old Knowledge, Young Blood, APY Art Centre Collective, Darlinghurst, NSW.

2018 Adelaide Meets the Bush, Kaurna Gallery at Live From Tandanya, Adelaide, SA.

2017 Transmission, The Lock Up, Newcastle, NSW.

2017 Songlines - Trackiing the Seven Sisters, National Museum of Australia, Canberra, ACT.

2017 BLAK Mirror II, Gallery Lane Cove, Sydney, NSW.

2017 BLAK Mirror, 107 Projects, Redfern, Sydney, NSW.

2015 Desert Mob 2015, Araluen Galleries, Alice Springs Cultural Precinct, NT.

2015 2015-2018 Punuku Tjukurpa Artback NT National Touring Exhibition from the Maruku Collection.

2014 Seoul Open Art Fair, Korea.

2014 Fragrant Lands – Exhibition of Chinese and Australian Indigenous Art 2014, Shanghai, China.

2014 maruku@anu Punu and Paint Exhibition and Market Place, ANU, Canberra, ACT.

2013 Desert Mob Show, Araluen Galleries, Alice Springs Cultural Precinct, NT.

2013 Wood: Art Design Architecture, Jam Factory & Botanic Gardens of Adelaide touring.

2012 Desert Mob Show, Araluen Galleries, Alice Springs Cultural Precinct, NT.

2011 Desert Mob Show, Araluen Galleries, Alice Springs Cultural Precinct, NT.

2010 Kuwarita Tjuta Ara Irititja. People today, old stories, Outstation Gallery, Darwin, NT.

2010 Desert Mob Show, Araluen Galleries, Alice Springs Cultural Precinct, NT.

2009 Animal Tales, Object Design, Australian Museum, Sydney, NSW.

2009 Maruku, Karen Brown Gallery, Darwin, NT.

2009 Metamorphosis Cooee Aboriginal Art Gallery, Sydney, NSW.

2009 Desert Mob 2009, Araluen Galleries, Alice Springs Cultural Centre, NT.

2008 Yamatji Pirni: Many Friendships, Bunjilaka Melbourne Museum, VIC.

2007 Desert Mob Show, Araluen Galleries, Alice Springs Cultural Precinct, NT.

2006 Desert Mob Show Araluen Galleries, Alice Springs Cultural Precinct, NT.

2004 Subject Object Works from the Araluen Collection, Alice Springs, NT.

2004 Paprika Coloured Country, Framed, The Darwin Gallery, Darwin, NT.

2004 Desert Mob Show, Araluen Galleries, Alice Springs Cultural Centre, NT.

2002 Sofa, Chicago, USA.

2000 Desert Mob 2000, Araluen Centre, Alice Springs, NT.

2000 This Earth For Us- Stories and Art from Australia’s First People, Commonwealth Institute Arts Network International, London, UK.

1999 Die Welt der Aborigines, Munich, Germany.

1998 Sofa, Chicago, USA.

1992 Desert Crafts, Hogarth Galleries, Paddington, NSW.

1992 Maruku Arts & Crafts Exhibition, Parliament House, Canberra, ACT.

1990 Balance 1990: views, visions, influences, QAG, Brisbane, QLD.

1990 Look at us Now, Tandanya Cultural Institute, Adelaide, SA.

Collections
National Museum of Australia
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, ACT.
Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane, QLD.
Federal Airports Corporation, Alice Springs, NT.
Museum of Ethnology, Osaka, Japan.
Tandanya Calender Collection
Punu Irititja munu Wiru Tjuta ~ The Maruku Arts Collection
Araluen Collection, Alice Springs, NT.
Museum of South Australia, SA.
Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection, University of West Virginia.
National Museum of Australia, Canberra, ACT.

Commissions
2020 Billy/Lulu/Tony, Collaboration with Altone Design.
2010 Cat Trucks Australia, Art work on truck.
2010 Desert Mob 20th, Anniversary print panel.

Awards
2012 Finalist, Alice Springs Art Prize.