Tanya Bird Mpetyane / Women’s Ceremony (TB10)

Born in 1981, Tanya is the talented daughter of artist Eileen Bird and the late Paddy Bird. Her grandmother was Ada Bird Petyarre, senior law woman and highly respected artist from Utopia.

Tanya comes from one of Australia’s most famous painting families which include the likes of Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Minnie Pwerle and Kathleen Petyarre. She was encouraged by both her mother and father, as well as grandmother and aunties, to paint from a young age.

Tanya currently lives Mulga Bore, Utopia, NT with her husband and children.

The designs in Tanya’s paintings represent Women’s Ceremony and Body Paint Designs. The designs are painted onto the chest, arms and legs of the women using yellow, black and white ochres. The women sing songs associated with their dreaming as each woman is painted.

The U shapes represent the women sitting around the waterholes during ceremony which can take many days to complete and so therefore must be held where water and food is available.