ARTIST PROFILE
Rosemary Pitjara Petyarre
Rosemary Petyarre was born circa 1945 at Boundary Bore outstation. Her country is Alhalkere and her language is Anmatyerre. She is the niece of the acclaimed artist Emily Kngwarreye and younger sister to highly respected artist and elder Greeny Purvis Petyarre.
Rosemary was one of a group of Anmatyerre women at the forefront of the art movement in the Utopia area. She was amongst a small group of women who travelled to Indonesia to learn various techniques in the manufacturing of batiks. It was after the “summer project” sponsored by the CAAMA network in 1998 that Rosemary spread her wings and started painting with acrylics and canvas.
As a bush woman, she is familiar with her land and its abundance of bush tucker species, medicine plants and native fauna. The stories related to the bush tucker have been inherited by her, along with important women’s stories and form the basis of her paintings.
She is a highly talented artist whose works are sought after by collectors worldwide.
Selected Collections
• Holmes a’ Court Collection, Perth
Selected Exhibitions
1989
• Utopia Women’s Paintings ‘A Summer Project’
1990
• ‘A Picture Story’, 88 silk works from the Holmes a’Court Collection, UK
1993
• Central Australian Aboriginal Art & Craft Exhibition, Alice Springs
1996
• "The Meeting Place", - touring exhibition, Australia
• "Nangara", Stitching Sint-Jan, Brugge, The Netherlands
1998
• Dacou Gallery, Australia
2008
• Black & White: Inspired by Landscapes, Kate Owen Gallery, Sydney
• Central Art Christmas Exhibition, Alice Springs
2009
• Central Art Mid Year Exhibition, Alice Springs