Ilyarnayt (Acacia Flower)

Sarah Morton Kngwarreye

1961

2019

Alyawarre

Ngkwarlerlaneme and Arnkawenyerr, Utopia Region, North East of Alice Springs, Northern Territory

Acrylic on Canvas and Linen, Batik on Silk, Wood Carving

Ilyarnayt (Acacia Flower), Country, Awelye (Women's Ceremony), Camp Scene, Alpite (Wild Flowers), Rainbow Dreaming, Tharrkarr (Sweet Honey Grevillea), Yerrampe (Honey Ant) Dreaming, Imuna (Bush Food), Bush Medicine

Sarah was the third daughter of the late Utopian artist Mary Morton Kemarre and the second wife of the late Louie Pwerle. Alongside her mother and sisters - Lucky, Audrey, Ruby, Janice, and Hazel - Sarah participated in the batik workshops held in Utopia during the 1980s. Her work has been featured in the prestigious Robert Holmes à Court exhibition and collection, which has toured extensively both within Australia and internationally.

In the summer of 1988-89, Sarah began painting as part of the CAAMA project, contributing to the Utopia women's collection, 'The First Works on Canvas, A Summer Project'. She continued her artistic journey with acrylics on canvas and also engaged in batik work and wood sculpture. Sarah started painting for Mbantua Gallery in 1990-91 and, in 2003, traveled to Melbourne with her sister Lucky to showcase her paintings.

Sarah lived at Arnkawenyerr (Rocket Range) in the Utopia Region, surrounded by her sisters and extended family. Painting was an integral part of her life, a passion she pursued when not traveling for education or participating in cultural ceremonies. She periodically attended Batchelor College, which took her to various locations, including Darwin, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs.

Throughout her career, Sarah painted a diverse array of stories, which she said were rooted in two different countries to which she belonged: Ngkwarlerlaneme and Arkawenyerr. She also depicted ceremonial body paint designs associated with these regions, as well as her mother's country, Antarrengeny.