The 2016 Jimmy Pike Scholarship artists, Leah Umbagain and Dean Smith, travelled from Mowanjum Art and Cultural Centre just outside Derby.  Mowanjum caters for 106 artists ranging from three to 80 years old.  The centre owns a small printing press and through skills acquired at the ECU residency, Leah and Dean have increased the centre’s ability to utilise the press.  They returned to Mowanjum with new ideas to share with the centre’s wider community of artists.

Leah Umbagai 

Leah is inspired through her dreams and paints art of her grandfathers country.  Leah first learnt printmaking whilst at school and continues to use a print-like style in her art.

Dean Smith

Dean is an enthusiastic artist who works at the Art Centre as the Studio Assistance Trainer.  He is involved in stretching canvases, cutting boards, printing and packaging, as well as his own arts practice. By learning print making at ECU, he is now able to print the work of other Mownajum artists and is inspired to expand his own practice.