Glenys James was born in the Pitjantjatjara community of Areyonga, south west of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. As a young girl she moved with her family to Docker River, then a newly formed settlement for people whose traditional lands lie in the Petermann Ranges. Glenys began carving and painting as a teenager and has received dedicated instruction from her parents, Yvonne James (dec) and Jim Nyukuti, both experienced traditional carvers and founding executive members of the Maruku organisation. She is a talented and committed artist whose work has already been exhibited overseas.