Tim's Bush Trip - November 2024 - with Terri van Haaren
Posted by Tim Jennings on 2025 Jan 16th
On Tuesday, November 6th, my eldest daughter and our website manager, Terri van Haaren, joined me on a 650km round trip to Utopia. It was a pleasant journey filled with stories dating back to my first visit in 1985. Though I've forgotten many details over the years, the memories remain vivid!
The weather was warm, with temperatures in the high 30s, but an overcast sky made the trip more comfortable.
Our view along the Sandover Highway.
Our first stop was Camel Camp Outstation, where we caught up with Angelina Ngale, Elizabeth Mpetyane, Pauline Moss and Motorbike Paddy. Angelina had completed three canvases. Now aged in her late 70's, a lifetime under the harsh Central Australian sun and Utopia's dust has taken a toll on her eyesight, which is reflected in the details of her paintings. Her once rounded spirit figures now have squarer heads and there are occasionally a few smudges - but that's simply part of the process as she ages. Despite this, Angelina remains passionate about her art and continues to paint her Atham-areny Story (pronounced 'Un-dumb-arinya'). She is slowing down, as one naturally does at her age, but her dedication is unwavering. We supplied her with more canvases and paints and are committed to supporting her creativity well into the future.
Angelina proudly displays one of her paintings while signing the back of another.
Pauline had completed ten 30cm x 30cm paintings. Her usual style features simple yet effective depictions of "women collecting bush food", incorporating Aboriginal symbols like the 'U' shape to represent women. While her work is appealing and affordable, we currently have a surplus of this style in stock. On my last visit to Camel Camp, I encouraged her to try something different - painting the same story but replacing the symbols with detailed figures of people. Pauline embraced the challenge and both Terri and I were thoroughly impressed with the results. The new paintings were fantastic!
Pauline and some of her new designs!
Elizabeth brought Motorbike Paddy over to the car and it was clear that this remarkable elder, born around 1932, was looking frail and tired. She also brought five canvases we had given him some time ago. The backgrounds were painted white and Paddy's hands were covered in white paint, however the motifs on the canvases were relatively clean and precise. When I asked Elizabeth if she had painted the motifs, she said 'Yes!'. Her English is very limited so I chatted a bit more until I felt confident this was the case.
Elizabeth was also eager to be photographed with Paddy and the paintings, which inspired me to document the collaboration in the blog. These works will be promoted as a joint effort - Paddy creating the backgrounds and Elizabeth painting the motifs - a collaboration between father and daughter.
Elizabeth with her father, alongside one of the final paintings we will acquire from Motorbike Paddy.
Motorbike Paddy has always enthusiastically requested more canvases in the past, however he didn't ask for any this time. It was evident to us that he is no longer able to continue, so we will now consider him "retired" as an artist.
From Camel Camp, we drove to Antwengerrp Outstation (A-noong-a-pa or Noongi!), where we first met up with Teresa Purla. She chatted with us as we attended to other artists, including the Hunter sisters, old Emily Pwerle and Mary Lewis. We also had a productive conversation with Lizzie Moss, who shared her enthusiasm for a new design she plans to create. We provided her with canvases and paints and eagerly look forward to seeing her work in the near future.
Some of the senior artists at Atnwengerrp signing their paintings, seeking out small patches of shade on such a hot day.
From Noongi, we headed to Rocket Range Outstation, where we connected with eight more artists. We collected paintings from Katie Kemarre, Michelle Lion and Hazel Morton, also providing new canvases and paints to them as well as to Lucky Morton, Janice Clarke, Lily Lion, Taralyn Morton and Sharona Ross.
After spending nearly an hour there and all the reminiscing with Terri about old times, I decided to take a quick detour to a former camp we used to visit during the Mbantua Store days. We would drive our old bush truck there, delivering food and supplies. Ngkwarlerlaneme was deserted now, with no signs of anyone living there for some time, but it was a wonderful trip down memory lane.
Next we set off to visit Violet Payne at Kurrajong Outstation but found the place deserted as well so then it was off to Mulga Bore Camp, about 80kms back towards Alice Springs along the Sandover.
We arrived into Mulga Bore around 5pm and caught up with Marie Ryder, her husband Kevin Bird, as well as Alvira Bird and her mother, Eileen. Alvira and Eileen didn't have any canvases but were eager for more, so we provided some. Marie still had several canvases but they weren't finished yet. Kevin however had quite a few completed, so we bought those, and Terri was able to transfer payment directly into his bank account from out in the remote Outback! I never in a million years would have been able to do that - I'll definitely still be taking the cheque book with me on future trips! ??
A showcase of all the new paintings by Kevin and Terri making payments in the heart of the Outback while holding baby Keshawn!
I ended up doing most of the work in Mulga Bore because Terri was busy holding Kevin and Marie's 2-month-old grandson, Keshawn Konnor Kevin Bird, and chatting with Marie and others about kids and grandkids! Of course, she was ready to adopt little Keshawn on the spot and take him home with her! ??
A fascinating part of this particular family story (yes I was chatting and listening to!), is the memory of the late Ada Bird Petyarre, Kevin's grandmother. Kevin and Marie's son, Kassidy, and his wife - parents of little Keshawn - also have a 2-year-old daughter named Kassaydia Antonia Ada Bird, in honour of Ada. Ada is always remembered and we love that! She was such a vibrant person and deeply respected by everyone.
We left Mulga Bore a little after 6pm, arriving home a couple of hours later. It was a long yet fulfilling day.