Born in Hermannsburg in the Northern Territory in 1902, a member of the Arunta he was taught the use of European watercolors by Victorian
34edf landscape water-colourist Rex Battarbee. By 1948 he had held 9 exhibitions in the various capitals cities and in 1953 received the Queen's Coronation Medal, being presented to the Queen in 1954. In 1957 Namatjira was granted full citizenship rights, for himself alone and not for his family.
He died in Alice Springs aged 57.