Lily Hargraves was one of the old Warlpiri Desert walkers, born in the Tanami Desert in her country near Chilla Well in the Northern Territory, Australia. She was a senior law woman, highly respected in Lajamanu. For many years she taught children Warlpiri language and culture in the school bilingual education program. She loved to paint and loved her culture.
Hargraves was driven to record and preserve cultural knowledge and traditions, knowing she was fighting against the power of time and the new impeding culture. She loved colour and expression, and in her later years her style changed slightly, showing more freedom, while years of experience show skilled execution and technique.
Her paintings are held in a number of major collections, and she has been widely exhibited both in Australia and overseas, including France, Brazil and the United States. In 2009 and 2014 , she was a finalist, and highly commended, in the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards.