Nancy was born at Lake MacKay, a vast saline lake that spans the border of WA and the NT and is located 500 km west-north-west of Alice Springs. Nancy was brought up the traditional Aboriginal way, going bush with her family and learning all about her country.

Nancy says she taught herself to paint and also by watching other artists in her community. In 2006 she started painting with “Warlukurlangu Artists”, an Aboriginal owned and governed art centre located in Yuendumu, a remote Aboriginal community located 290 km from Alice Springs in the NT of Australia. The art centre makes regular visits to Nyirripi to drop off canvas, paint and brushes for the artists and to collect finished artwork. Nancy mainly paints Mina Mina Jurkurrpa, Dreamings related to her country west of Nyirripi and near Lake MacKay. Occasionally she paints Wurrpadi Jukurrpa (Spear-tree Dreaming) and Wakerlpirri Jukurrpa (Dogwood Tree Dreaming) Dreamings.