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Bert,
Oenpelli (now called Gunbalunya) is in western Arnhem Land. The arts Centre there is called Inyalak Arts Centre - you may be able to obtain some further info on the artist by contacting them via email. You can also search the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies library website to see what they have in their collection (aiatsis.gov.au)
There is a spectacular rock painting of this lightning spirit in Kakadu and a google search will bring up heaps of info on it. It's at Nourlangie Rock - I'll put a brief precis below.
As a generalisation, art from Western Arnhem Land tends to be more secular than that of eastern AL. Rarrk is used throughout Arnhem Land though more extenisvely in western and central regions. The right to paint certain objects/spirits is determined by your clan/moeity association and the style of rarrk is also specific in this way.
The art of AL has been extensively written about and you should have no trouble finding out more info. Try Wally Caruna's book on Aboriginal art as a starter.
Bear in mind that offence can be given when openly discussing the names of people who are deceased or subjects that hold deep religious significance and it is always better to approach such subjects cautiously and let indigenous people determine the deoth to which such discussions should go.
Anyway, my 2 cents worth!
precis from the web:
Nourlangie Rock - Located south of Jabiru, Nourlangie Rock is part of the area known as the Mt. Brockman Massif. There are over 100 sacred sites in this area and some of them are designated sacred-dangerous (and therefore not open to the public). The area has a number of cave sites and there is evidence of quarries where the local Aborigines made their stone implements. Interestingly some of the caves include drawings of thylacines, Tasmanian tigers, which presumably lived in the area at the time the paintings were done.
There are a number of walks at Nourlangie Rock.including walks to the lookouts at Gunwarrde and Nawurlandja, a walk around Anbangbang Billabong and a short walk (from the carpark) to the excellent Anbangbang Gallery where depictions of Namarrgon the 'Lightning Man' and Nabulwinjbulwinj, a dangerous spirit who eats females after striking them with a yam, make it one of the most interesting galleries in the park.
Namarrgon the Lightning Man is a fascinating character who wears his lightning as a band connecting his arms, legs and head. The stone axes on his knees and elbows make the thunder. The story of the Lightning Man, as explained by the local Aborigines, is that Namarrgon, his wife Barrginj and their children, Aljurr, came from the north coast searching for a good place to settle. Namarrgon now lives at Lightning Dreaming which can be seen from Gunwarrde Warrde Lookout. When Namarrgon wants to make lightning he strikes his stone axes on the ground or against the clouds. The actual lightning is his children - Aljurr - which means 'little lightning'.
Both the Lightning Man and Nabulwinjbulwinj were actually repainted in 1964 by Nayombolmi (Barramundi Charlie) of the Badmardi clan in the style of the earlier works which were fading due to the weather.
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