Mona was painting with Tjurma Arts and Crafts back in 1998. After a long break, she returrned to painting at Tjala Arts (formerly Minymaku Arts) in mid 2003. Mona’s husband, Michael Mitakiki also painted briefly at the art centre. After the death of her husband in May 2005 Mona changed her surname from Mitakiki to Shepherd for cultural reasons – Pitjantjatjara people are not allowed to see or hear the name of the deceased.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
2017 Wynne Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW
2017 Kulini – Listen, Short St Gallery, Broome, WA
2016 Aboriginal and Pacific Art, Sydney – 2016 Seven Sisters
2014 These are the stories we teach our children. Short St Gallery, Broome WA
2014 Araluen Galleries, Alice Springs – Desert Mob
2013 Outstation Gallery Darwin – APY Lands Survey Exhibition 2013
2013 Chapman Gallery, Canberra – Tjala Arts: New Work
2012 Aboriginal & Pacific Art, Sydney – Tjungu Kutju-tu (Together As One) – Tjala Arts & Tjungu Palya
2012 Short St Gallery, Broome – One Song Different Tune
2012 Metropolis Gallery, Geelong – Tjala Arts, Tjungu Palya and Ernabella Arts: Paintings from the APY Lands
2012 Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne – Tjala 2012
2012 Outstation Gallery, Darwin – From Home and Returning Home
2011 ARTKELCH, Germany – Pro Community – Western APY Lands
2011 Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne – Emerging Artists from Tjala Arts & Kaltjiti Arts
2011 RAFT Artspace, Alice Springs – Ngayulu Witini ngayuku mamaku tjukurpa, ngayulu witini ngayuku ngunytjuku tjukurpa
2011 Aboriginal & Pacific Art, Sydney – Ngura wiru mulapa (Beautiful Country)
2011 Tjala Artists 2011, Short St Gallery, Broome
2007 Visions of Country, Seymour College Art Exhibition, Adelaide
2007 Our Mob on Tour, Country Arts SA
2006 Wama Yungkunytja, Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne
2006 Tjala Arts: SALAFestival, Art Images, Adelaide
2006 Warka nganampa munuru: Our work is many and varied, Stephanie Burns Fine Art, Canberra
2006 Utulu Kuwaritja Amatala nguru – New Mob from Amata, Red Dot Gallery, Singapore
2005 Waku Kunpu: Strong Work, Bandigan Art, Sydney
2005 Minymaku Arts: SALA Festival, Art Images, Adelaide
2005 Minymaku Arts: Emerging Artist from Amata, South Australia
2004 Bush Christmas, Australia’s Outback Gallery, Sydney
2000 Tili Wiru (Beautiful Light), Touring Exhibition, South Australia Country Arts Trust
2000 Irititja Munu Kuwaritja Tjukurpa, Tandanya, Adelaide
1999 Desert MOb, Araluen Galleries, Alice Springs
1999 Di antara dua pedalaman: between remote regions: A Collaborative exhibition featuring artists from remote regions of South Australia and Malaysia, various venues across South Australia
1998 EPIC State of the Arts, Eyre Peninsula
1998 Minymaku Batik Exhibition, Gallery Gondwana, Alice Springs
1991 Beyond Batik, a joint exhibition by members of the ACT Batik Association and artists from Tjurma homeland
COLLECTIONS:
National Gallery of Victoria
AWARDS:
2017 Finalist, Wynne Prize
1999 Tandanya/Arts SA Aboriginal Artists Fellowship Award
BIBLIOGRAPHIES:
Lino Printing and Solarplate Etching workshop, SACAT, Adelaide, 1998
Batik Course, Amata TAFE, 1998