Illiam was born on the 5th of July 1997, at Derby. He now lives with his family at Jimbalakudunj Community after completing high school in Coolgardie. At a very early age he started making helmets out of cardboard, as well as swords and knives, says his mother Eva.
Now he has grown up and works as a studio technician with his father Johnny at Mangkaja. He enjoys making artefacts like knives, coolamons, bowls, as well fixing the small engines of the chainsaws and lawnmower. He is curious to know how things work and very clever with his hands.
He was selected in 2015 for the Revealed Exhibition program to feature his knives and has not looked back, constantly creating and trying new techniques. Late last year Illiam went for skills training with a blacksmith in Melbourne and learnt how to forge. He crafted some metal blades that he has been incorporating into his latest series of knives. He also uses found objects, metals, leather and wood scraps he finds lying around.

GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
2019 UNBRANDED MAY, LATROBE ART INSTITUTE, MELBOURNE
2019 DESERT RIVER SEA FEB, ART GALLERY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA
2016 REVEALED APRIL, FREMANTLE ART CENTRE, PERTH, WA.
2015 REVEALED APRIL, FREMANTLE ART CENTRE, PERTH, WA.

ART PRIZES:
2020 TELSTRA NATSIAA FINALIST MAGNT, DARWIN, NT.
2019 NATSIAA SALON DES REFUSES Charles Darwin University, DARWIN, NT.
2018 Port Hedland Art Prize FINALIST Courthouse Gallery Port Hedland, WA.
2017 34th TELSTRA NATSIAA FINALIST MAGNT, DARWIN, NT.