Born: 1945
Deceased: 2021
Language Group: Eastern Arrernte
Country: Santa Teresa, South Eastof Alice Springs
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas and Linen, Watercolour/Gouache on board, Beadwork
Subjects: Landscape, Bush Foods
Gabriella Wallace grew up at Santa Teresa Mission, South East of Alice Springs. She first learnt to paint as a young student through the mission school, (Kathleen Wallace and Therese Ryder were also part of this group). Sister Anastasia encouraged them all to paint the landscape and entered their work in the Alice Springs show.
Gabriella is highly recognized for her portrayal of the central Australian landscape, she also paints stories associated to her country, describing gathering of bush foods.
The landscape painting, describes land formations, sites and seasons important to the artist and their country. The richness of colour and detail of the landscape are important to each of Gabriella's paintings.
Collections
Mbantua Gallery Permanent Collection, Alice Springs
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
Flinders University Art Museum, Adelaide, SA
Exhibitions
| 1985 | The Second National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin |
| 1991 | The Eighth National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin |
| 1991 | Aboriginal Women's Exhibition, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney |
| 1992 | Central Australian Aboriginal Art and Craft Exhibition, Araluen Centre, Alice Springs |
| 1992 | The Heritage of Namatjira, touring exhibition through Flinders University Art museum |
| 1995 | Namatjira Ilakakeye, kinship, creativity and the continuing traditions of the Hermannsburg artists, Tandanya, Adelaide |
| 2005 | Invitational Private Exhibition at Madigans Restaurant, Alice Springs with Mbantua Gallery to meet with HRH Prince of Wales |
Further References
| Green, J. | (ed), 1988, Pmere: country in Mind, Arrernte Landscape Painters, Tangentyere Council, Alice Springs © |
| Green, J. | 1990, ‘Country in mind', Special Double Artlink 10 (1&2), 18. © |
| Hardy, J., Megaw, J.V.S. and Megaw, M.R. | Megaw, J.V.S. and Megaw, M.R. (ed), 1992, The Heritage of Namatjira – the watercolourists of Central Australia, William Heinemann, Australia. © |
| 1991, Aboriginal Women's Exhibition, exhib. cat., Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney |