Aboriginal Fine Arts Gallery

Jeannie Petyarre

Jeannie Petyarre

Born: c1956
State: NT
Region: Central Desert
Community: Utopia
Outstation: Alhalkere
Language: Anmatyerre
Social Affiliation: Petyarre subsectio

Subjects:
Alkalhere country, dingo, bush turkey, bush tomato,
centipede, scorpion, medicine leaves.

Medium: Batik on silk, Acrylic on canvas

Collections:
The National Gallery of Australia, Canberra.
The Holmes a Court Collection, Perth.

Group Exhibitions:
1989, Utopia Women's Paintings, the First Works on Canvas, A Summer Project,
1988-89, S. H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney;
1990, 'Utopia - A Picture Story,' an exhibition of 88 works on silk from the
Holmes a Court Collection by Utopia artists which toured Eire and Scotland.;
1993, Central Australian Aboriginal Art and Craft Exhibition, Araluen Centre, Alice Springs

Bibliography:

Brody, A., 1989, Utopia Women's Paintings: the First Works on Canvas, A Summer Project,
1988-89, exhib. cat., Heytesbury Holdings, Perth. (C) ;

Brody, A., 1990, Utopia: a Picture Story, 88 Silk Batiks from the Robert Holmes a Court
Collection, Heytesbury Holdings Ltd, Perth. (C)

Details:
Jeannie was born in 1956 to a family of well-known artists. She is the sister of the well
known Gloria Petyarre, Kathleen Petyarre, Ada Bird Petyarre, Violet Petyarre, Myrtle Petyarre
and Nancy Petyarre. Jeannie started painting batik work in the eighties. She paints leaves
like her sister Gloria Petyarre, but also Bush Medicine Dreaming, Bush Peanut Dreaming,
Mountain Devil Lizard (arnkerrthe) Dreaming, Yam Seed Dreaming and she, like her sister,
is known for the use of vibrant colours.

Jeannie paints bush tucker stories, such as yams and yam root systems. Her work is
characterised by vibrant designs celebrating the spirit of the Yam plant as it generates
year after year to feed the people. This colourful style was taught to her by her Aunt,
the famous Emily Kame Kngwarreye, who told Jeannie before she died that she must continue
to paint the family's Yam Dreaming.

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