Sally Scales
Tarntanya / Adelaide, SA
Sally Scales is a Pitjantjatjara woman from Pipalyatjara in the far west of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in remote South Australia. Sally shares the story of Wati Tjakura, an edible skink lizard. This is a creation story that took place at Aralya. The Wal Mala (army) of Wati Wanambi (snake men) from Malara came and threw spears at Wati Tjakura. He tried to escape but they killed him. His family came down to bury him.
About the Artist
Pitjantjatjara woman Sally Scales comes from Pipalyatjara, on the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands. She is the daughter of Josephine Mick, a cultural leader and senior artist from Ninuku Arts, and the late Ushma Scales (1944�2007), one of the founders of Maruku Arts and the APY cultural archive, Ara Irititja.
Sally has worked with the APY Art Centre Collective since 2013 in cultural liaison, Elder support and spokesperson roles. She is a member of the Uluru Statement Dialogue Leadership, having been involved in the Referendum Council's Constitution regional dialogues and national convention in 2017. On top of all of these commitments, Sally is a foster mum to Walter.
Sally turned her focus to her artistic practice in 2020 and held her first exhibition at the APY Gallery Adelaide in March 2021. It was a sell-out exhibition. Sally won the Telstra People�s Choice Award at the 2021 Telstra NATSIAA.
