Gloria Petyarre
Bush Medicine
Born at Atnanghere, 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, Petyarre, 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.