early life and career rover thomas joolama, a wangkajunga and kukatja aboriginal australian artist, was born in 1926 at gunawaggi near well 33 on the canning stock route in the great sandy desert of western australia. he spent most of his life working as a stockman in the east kimberley in the north of western australia. artistic journey thomas began painting on canvas in the early 1980s, soon becoming a pioneer artist of what was later known as the east kimberley school. his work was characterized by its unique blend of traditional aboriginal storytelling and modern artistic expression. dre…