"Irene O'Loughlin was born in 1944 on the Point Pearce mission station in South Australia. Her ancestry is Narungga and Kuarna. The painting is called Narungga Woman because Irene's mother was Narungga, and Irene's ancestry is traced through her mother according to Narungga custom.

"As an Aboriginal person, Irene experienced many of the worst effects of assimilationist policies and attitudes. She was removed from her family when twelve years old, and worked at a variety of manual jobs believed suitable for Aborigines. In 1962, unable to find suitable employment in her home state, she enlisted in the Australian Army and on leaving the Army moved to Victoria where she has now lived for thirty-four years. After working as hairdresser, cleaner, chicken boner and kitchen hand, she began tertiary studies at Monash University in 1987, graduating with degrees in both Arts and Law.

"I have chosen the setting and layout of the painting to reinforce the fact that Irene is content in her tranquil environment. Her uncomplicated love of nature is illustrated by the simple vegetation shown in the background. The uncluttered setting of a table and chairs, a basic vase containing a single sprig of gum leaves on an ochre-red table-cloth and the unpatterned flooring are painted in earth tones which empathise with her Aboriginal heritage. The warm colours and the use of natural light in this painting reinforce the relationship of Aboriginal people with their land.

"Irene's disposition is evident. She is a woman of confidence and inner strength.

"I have purposely constructed the painting with a palette knife to create a visible texture. This adds to the strength of the woman whilst keeping the technique uncomplicated and purposely avoiding the smoothness of conventional brush stroke techniques which would have lessened the power of this painting."

KORDELYA ZHANSUI