The first of the brothers

His second name is associated with his fathers totemic site. " There are several major native-cat totemic sites to be found in the Mt. Sonder area. One of them is Pa'Eroultja. They later adopted the name of their father's totemic site as their own family name"
The Pareroultja brothers demonstrated a clear divergence in style from Namatjira's. Edwin first found success with a new style. Encouraging other Arrernte artists including his brothers, Otto and Reuben to be more creative in their approach to the Mythological landscape.

As a young man Edwin was physically fit and excelled at all sports especially running. Edwin's remarkable ability as a runner was demonstrated at a Red Cross sports meeting in Alice Springs, 1944. The only runner off scratch Edwin won both the 130yrd and 75yrd barefoot against the best runners from the Army and Allied Works. He competed on a few other occasions but received little encouragement.
Edwin began painting in 1943, his first attempt astounding Rex Battarbee. “The greatest impression any artist has ever made on me was on 25th October 1943, when Edwin showed me his first watercolor” Rex Battarbee, Modern Australian Aboriginal Art, 1951. Battarbee encouraged Edwin to develop his own style and not to emulate that of Albert. His first solo exhibition was opened on the 12th of November 1946 at the Athenaeum Art Gallery, Melbourne. Edwin was inspired by the symmetries and patterns found in nature. This is evident in the form of parallel ranges and decorative shrubbery. This design quality resembles traditional Arrernte symbolism where parallel and circular lines move in harmony.