Renita was born in Ernabella and attended the mission school. Her mother, Tjariya Stanley, was a well-known artist and when Renita finished school she followed her mother into the craft room, which eventually became the Ernabella Arts centre.
The oldest of five children, Renita and her siblings spent much of their time growing up out at their parents’ homeland (outstation), Tjalyritja, in times when the homeland movement was still strong. Renita has one son, Ngunytjima, who worked in the Ernabella Arts ceramics studio.
Renita has travelled overseas and participated in batik workshops in Indonesia. She has exhibited widely around Australia, in the mediums of batik, painting and ceramics. Renita’s distinctive artwork draws from traditional mark making while being her own visual interpretation of her stories.
Renita is a distinguished artist whose work has been acquired by galleries across Australia and overseas, including National Gallery of Australia, National Museum of Australia, National Gallery of Victoria and National Museum of Scotland. Renita has been the Chairperson of Ernabella Arts and also the Anangu Mayatja (Manager).
As well as her full-time arts career, Renita is strongly involved with the church and Ernabella Choir, in particular the singing of hymns in Pitjantjatjara at regular gatherings at Ernabella and in Adelaide. She has written and recorded her own songs and is a keyboardist. Renita sings in the 2011 ABC TV documentaries, ‘No Ordinary Mission’ and ‘Nothing Rhymes with Ngapartji’. In 2012 she was in the stage show of ‘Ngapartji Ngaprtji’ at Canberra Playhouse Theatre.
Renita now divides her time between Ernabella and Adelaide.
