A Feast For The Eyes
Chef Owner Robert Thompson and the team don't just serve incredible food; along with the AALondon Gallery, they have helped curate a stunning art collection that transforms the dining experience into something truly extraordinary. The restaurant walls are adorned with masterpieces from artists, making every visit a feast for the eyes as well as the palate.
Each piece of art is for sale, and guests are welcome to enquire when visiting the restaurant, or via the link below.
Simon Wright Born in West Yorkshire in 1974. From as early as I can remember, I have always been drawing and painting, and it’s been my sole passion all my life.
After gaining a degree as an illustrator, I began to realise I enjoyed more fine art painting as it didn't have the restraints of illustrative work. Through this I gained success painting animals, particularly dogs. I also started to do more portraiture work.
In my work I try to bring the elements of illustration and fine art together to hopefully create a style which is totally unique and appeals to a varied audience. I enjoy working from realistic to abstract and everything in between. I work predominantly in oils, and acrylic.
I am always grateful that I am able to make a living out of my love of painting.
Simon Wright
Selina went to primary school at Stirling Station in the north Utopia region near Tennant Creek. Her mother's homelands. Selina as with her sisters and brothers were sent to boarding school in Darwin as no secondary schooling was available in Tennant Creek of Alice Springs.Selina currently resides in Darwin but regularly visits her Country. Selina and her sisters, and mother, come from a long line of desert painters of the contemporary Aboriginal art and dot-dot central desert movement from well renowned painter aunties: Gloria and Kathleen Petyarre, who are well established artists in Alice Springs.
The Bush Medicine Leaves Dreaming knowledge story is a popular theme of the Numina Sisters. Many women from the Petyarre, Mambitji and Numina family name hold custody of the story and knowledge keepers of painting series-themes such as Bush Medicine Leaves, Bush Tucker, Seeded, Soakage, Women' s Ceremony etc - in common with other skin groups across the vast arid creek beds and red sand of central Australia.Subjects of importance in the theme-series painted are various bush tucker. Plant foods include wild berries, plums, onion, yam, seeds etc. Many animals can be depicted as food source or as totems such as Thorny Devil Lizard and Dingo Tracks.Women's Ceremony, Awelye Body Art Ceremony are mostly painted by senior ladies but younger women need to know it from a young age. Some themes such as Bush Tucker can be open and universal others can be secret and or significant cultural ceremonies.
Selina Numina
Gary Wilson Reid Tjampitjinpa was born around 1966 and originates from the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Lands of Sawn Hill in Victoria. However Gary was adopted out into a non-indigenous family very early on in life and thus, did not start re-connecting fully with his indigenous culture until his early 20’s when he returned to his country in Swan Hill. Gary thereafter married renowned artist Lily Campbell Napangardi.
Gary paints his dreaming ‘Nantucker’ which is a vivid portrayal of his country; he also often paints ‘Lizard Dreaming’ and ‘Water Dreaming’. Gary uses bright hues of blue, red, orange and yellow to create highly detailed artworks, which are distinct representations of Aboriginal culture, the land and the water flowing through it.
Gary Wilson
Louise Numina is one of six well known desert artists: the Numina Sisters. She has three brothers, her dear father passed and her widow mum still paints and lives in Darwin. Louise went to primary school on Stirling Station near Tennant Creek. She later studied at Yirarra College in Alice Springs. Like her sisters and mother she comes from a long line of desert painters of the contemporary Aboriginal art and dot-dot central desert movement.
After high school Louise returned to Stirling Station near Ti Tree where she worked with the Community Development Program. She started painting in 1981 after being taught by her well renowned painter aunties: Gloria and Kathleen Petyerre, who are well established artists in Alice Springs. Louise has lived in Darwin since 1995 when she began studying at Nungalinya College achieving a diploma in Fine Arts. Louise works have featured in exhibitions in Darwin, Sydney and Brisbane. Her work has been collected for over 20 years. Louise has three young children.
The Numina Sisters travel regularly back home to visit their relatives and country. The Bush Medicine Leaves Dreaming knowledge story is a popular theme of the Numina Sisters.
Louise Numina
Lanita Numina is one of the middle sisters of the six well known desert artists: the Numina Sisters. She has two brothers, her dear father is passed on and her widow mum still paints from time to time. Like her sisters Lanita went to primary school on Stirling Station near Tennant Creek. Like her sisters and mother she comes from a long line of desert painters of the contemporary Aboriginal art and dot-dot central desert movement. Lanita lived with her mother and aunties on Stirling Station near Ti Tree. She started painting later than her older sisters. Lanita was taught by her older sisters as well as her other sisters she was surrounded by her well renowned painter aunties: Gloria and Kathleen Petyarre, who are well established artists in Alice Springs. Lanita primarily lives with her sisters in Darwin and travels home to visit her mother Barbara Price Mtjimbana or to bring her mother to Darwin to visit them all. The Bush Medicine Leaves Dreaming knowledge story is a popular theme of the Numina Sisters. Many women from the Peytre, Mambitji and Numina family name hold custody of the story and knowledge keepers of painting.
Lunita Numina
Bernadine Kemarre was born in 1974 in the Ltyentye Apurte Community (Santa Teresa), approx. 80km east of Alice Springs, Northern Territory and had a traditional upbringing before attending school in Alice Springs.
Bernadine comes from a family of famous artists including Abie Loy and Josie Petrick Kemarre that have emerged from the Utopia area in the NT. Her sister-in-law is Anna Price Petyarre, one of the most sort after Central Desert artists. She learnt from a young age the art of painting her Dreamings, ceremonies and important bush foods and medicines onto canvas.