Theresa comes from a family that includes famous painters from the region stretching from the South of the Kimberley to the Western Desert. Her father is Brandy Tjungurrayi and his aunt and uncles are Elizabeth Nyumi, Patrick Olodoodi and Helicopter Tjungurrayi.

She began painting in 2001, drawing inspiration from her father's "country" themes, located around Jupiter Well, a waterhole near Kiwirrkurra. It is especially his particular style (a field of small dots with very rare motifs) and his particular chromatic scale that have aroused interest. While in Balgo most of the important painters are now dead, Theresa is one of the artists who matter in this region.