Artist:     Rosemary Petyarre

Region:   Utopia, NT

Title:       Bush Medicine Leaves Dreaming

Size:        100 X 90 cm

Medium: Acrylic paint on canvas

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About Rosemary 

Rosemary Bird Petyarre was born in the early 1950s at Atneltye, also known as Boundary Bore, on Utopia Station in the Northern Territory, situated 270 kilometres northeast of Alice Springs. Rosemary Petyarre is the niece of the renowned Aboriginal artist Emily Kame Kngwarreye and the sister of Jeannie Petyarre, as well as the half-sister of artists Greeny Purvis Petyarre and Evelyn Pultara. Additionally, she shares a kinship as a skin sister with other prominent artists, including Gloria Petyarre, Kathleen Petyarre, and Ada Bird Petyarre.

It is evident that painting is intrinsic to Rosemary Petyarre. She was part of a group of Anmatyerre women at the forefront of the Aboriginal art movement in Utopia. Like many of the female artists in that region, Rosemary Petyarre initially engaged in producing batik works before transitioning to painting, spurred by encouragement from her aunt, Emily Kame Kngwarreye.

As a bush woman, Rosemary Petyarre possesses a profound familiarity with her land and its rich variety of bush tucker, medicinal plants, and native fauna. She, along with her sister Jeannie Petyarre, inherited these narratives- along with significant women’s stories- from their ancestors through their aunt Emily, which form the foundation of her artistic creations. The subjects of many of Rosemary Petyarre’s paintings represent leaves gathered from her homeland, utilised for numerous medicinal purposes. Notably, she recurrently focuses on Bush Yam Leaves and Bush Medicine, illustrating these themes through flowing depictions of the leaves. Reflective of the Utopia artists, Rosemary Petyarre embraces a vibrant use of colour.

Currently, Rosemary Petyarre divides her time between Utopia and Alice Springs. She is recognised as an exceptionally talented artist among the illustrious names of Aboriginal art residing and working within Utopia Homelands. Rosemary Petyarre’s paintings have been collected by art enthusiasts globally. Aboriginal art status – Established artist.

About the Painting

The leaves of the medicine bush illustrated herein are indigenous to the Kurrajong tree, which comprises approximately 30 varieties that have existed for over 50 million years. These trees range from small shrubs to substantial trees, reaching heights of approximately 30 meters. The trunks of the larger specimens serve as reservoirs for water, while the leaves possess medicinal properties.

In the remote region of Utopia, situated to the west of Alice Springs, where Caroline’s people originate, the women gather the bush leaves, boil them, and subsequently mash them with animal fats, such as kangaroo, emu, or goanna, to create a medicinal poultice or paste that can remain effective for several months. This paste is employed for the treatment of various ailments, including bites, wounds, skin infections, rashes, and skin cancer. The bush leaves are also boiled in hot water to produce an infusion, also known as a healing tea. Additionally, other preparations have been utilised as insect repellents or were introduced into the water to incapacitate fish.

The desirability of the artworks

 Admirers of the medicine bush leaf paintings often remark on their captivating allure. Observers are entranced by the illusion of movement that these artworks create, as though the leaves depicted on the canvas are swaying in the breeze. Numerous purchasers and collectors of medicine bush leaf artworks across Australia, the United States, and Europe are medical professionals who acquire these pieces to display in their consulting rooms, thereby showcasing Aboriginal artwork with medical significance.