Gloria Petyarre
Bush Medicine
Born at Atnanghere, Gloria Petyarre moved to the Utopia
settlement where she was one of the original artists to be employed
in the Batik program initiated to provide an income and recognition
for women of that community. Offered acrylics and canvas to
extend the newly developed techniques of painting on Batik, Gloria,
along with other members of the group, quickly mastered the new
medium.
Using a greater range of colours and tonal range than was
possible with the Batiks, Petyarre has continued to experiment with
line and colour on the patterns derived from her Dreaming.
Some of her work is composed of bands of different colours that
produce optical effects that convey a sense of movement. By
using yellow and pink against a black ground and by filling every
part of the canvas, Petyarre has captured the tiny leaves swirling
through the water in which they are being boiled for medicinal
purposes.