Cultural Notice: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are advised that this communication contains the name and images of a person who has passed away. Elizabeth’s family have provided permission for the use of her name and images as a way of honouring her life and legacy.
Family Statement
Elizabeth Yanyi Close (Pitjantjatjara, Yankunytjatjara)
8 June 1986 – 13 March 2026
At the request of Elizabeth’s family and with their permission, it is with great sadness and deep sorrow that Ochre Dawn shares the passing of Elizabeth Yanyi Close, a proud Anangu woman, beloved mother, wife and Pitjantjatjara, Yankunytjatjara contemporary artist, whose family links are to the communities of Pukutja and Amata in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands (APY Lands).
Elizabeth was born on Kaurna Country in Adelaide but grew up in outback SA, returning to Adelaide to complete her secondary schooling, and attend Flinders University to complete a Bachelor of Nursing. During her nursing career, Elizabeth worked in the Emergency Department at Flinders Hospital as a senior Registered Nurse.
In 2007, Elizabeth began to paint professionally and her practice organically grew as she balanced nursing, art and motherhood.
By 2014 she had built up a full-time arts practice, when she and her family relocated to the APY Lands to reconnect with family, language and culture. This experience is profoundly reflected in the evolution of her work. She crafted a dynamic and bold multi-disciplinary arts practice that speaks to the politics of Aboriginality, her own personal Connection to Country and the concept of connection to place and space, especially how it relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander relationships with the landscape and ways of being and knowing.
Through her work as a painter, muralist and digital artist, Elizabeth shared powerful stories of Country, culture and identity. Her vibrant and distinctive style brought colour, movement and meaning to every space she touched.
Over time she built a deeply professional art practice. Her reach spanned across not-for-profit organisations, charities, schools, government, businesses and community groups. From large scale murals to designs woven through corporate documents, her art found its way into workplaces and neighbourhoods across the country and internationally.
Elizabeth approached this work with great care and integrity. She listened deeply to the stories organisations wished to share and translated them into visual language that honoured both culture and purpose. Her storytelling also extended beyond the canvas. With a remarkable gift for words, she expressed the meaning behind her artworks with eloquence, guiding others to see the deeper stories of Country, culture and connection within each piece.
Elizabeth was also known for speaking with honesty and conviction. She brought a strong voice, a sharp wit and a deep sense of purpose to her work. She is also remembered for her loud, infectious laughter and gentle care for those around her.
Elizabeth also contributed generously to the wider arts community. Her generosity of spirit extended to mentoring emerging artists, collaborating with fellow creatives and participating in conversations, panels and initiatives that explored the role of art, culture and storytelling in community and public life.
Elizabeth’s art will continue to be encountered in the quiet rhythm of everyday life. Whether glimpsed in passing, reflected in the spaces where we gather and work, or discovered in the details of something we use each day.
Her creativity and deep cultural pride touched many lives, and her legacy will endure through the stories she shared and the spaces she transformed.
Above all, Elizabeth was devoted to her family. She was a beloved wife and mother of three children, who remained at the heart of everything she did.
On behalf of Elizabeth’s family, we thank everyone who has reached out with messages of love, care and support during this incredibly difficult time. Your kindness and respect mean a great deal to her family.
She will be forever missed by all who knew and loved her.
Further information about ways to honour Elizabeth’s life will be shared by the family when they feel ready. In the meantime, we ask that everyone please respect the family’s privacy as they mourn the loss of a strong Anangu woman.
Protocols and permissions granted for public use by Elizabeth’s family
Elizabeth’s family have shared that they are comfortable with and encourage the continued use of Elizabeth’s name and images of her and her artwork as a way of honouring her life and creative legacy, especially for her children.
For any enquiries regarding cultural protocols, permissions or the use of Elizabeth’s name, image or artwork, please contact info@ochredawn.com.au and we will liaise with Elizabeth’s family to ensure guidance is provided in accordance with their wishes.
If you would like to share a reflection, memory or message for Elizabeth’s family, you are welcome to send it through to this email and we will ensure it is passed on with care.