Painted and carved representations of totemic animals and ancestral figures were created throughout Arnhem Land for use in particular ceremonial cycles.Today in Northern and Southern Arnhem Land at Oenpelli, Ramingining, Maningrida, Yirrikala and from the Tiwi people of Bathurst and Melville Island, both soft (native Hibiscus) and hard wood carvings of birds, animals, fish and ancestral heroes, are made by many Aboriginal artists.

The shapes are carved from a single piece of wood followed by painted rarrk (cross hatching) or dotted designs which are applied to the surface of the carving, using natural ochres mixed with commercial fixative or otherwise, as is the case in north-eastern Arnhem Land, surface designs are engraved into the wood through the painted surface with a sharp knife, exposing the pale wood beneath and contrasting with the painted patterns. These carvings are all highly decorative, intricately designed and exceptionally light.The Tiwi Aboriginal Sculptures are carved from a hard island wood ,which is extremely heavy and difficult to work, the art is primitive and in some aspects relates to the sculpture and carving from New Guinea due to this country,s close proximity to Darwin and the coast of northern Australia.

The surface patterns used all relate to clan designs or other aspects of myths in which the carved figures occur.The origin of carved human figures in Eastern Arnhem Land seems to lie with the visits of Macassan fishermen. As reported by Mountford (Australian Anthropologist), who visited the area in 1948.

This extensive collection of 'Sculpture and Carving' stems from ' Painted Country,s director collecting Aboriginal art from all areas of Top End Australia for over 20 years.