![]() | Born: 1957 Language Group: Alyawarre Country: Ampilatwatja, Utopia Region, North East of Alice Springs Medium: Acrylic on Canvas and Linen, Batik on Silk Subjects: Country, Bush Medicine, Awelye (Women's Ceremony) |
Colleen was involved in the Utopia Women's Batik Group. Her work is represented in 'A Picture Story', a project initiated by CAAMA in the late 80's. When Colleen was a child, she was taught about bush medicines and how to collect them from her mother and grandmother.
Collections
Mbantua Gallery Permanent Collection, Alice Springs
The Holmes à Court Collection, Perth
Exhibitions
1989 | Utopia Women's Paintings, the first works on Canvas, A Summer Project |
1988 | S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney |
1990 | Utopia – A Picture Story, an exhibition of 88 works on silk from the Utopia artists which toured Eire and Scotland |
2011 | Desert Mob Exhibition, Alice Springs NT |
2012 | Desert Mob Exhibition, Alice Springs NT |
2014 | Desert Mob Exhibition, Alice Springs NT |
Further References
2005 | Permanent exhibition and collection, DACOU Australia, Rosewater, SA |
Brody, A. | 1989, Utopia Women's Paintings: the First Works on Canvas, A summer Project, 1988-89, exhib. Cat., Heytesbury Holdings, Perth |
Brody, A. | 1990, Utopia: a Picture Story, 88 Silk Batiks from the Robert Holmes a Court Collection, Heytesbury Holdings Ltd Perth |
NATSIVAD – Data base 1997 |
Colleen paints her country, Ampilatwatja. All of Colleen's Dreamtime stories belong to her country. Awelye (Women's Ceremonies) are performed by Colleen and the aboriginal women of her country to demonstrate respect for their country and the total well-being and health of their community. Designs are painted onto their bodies, the women sing and dance and stir up the dust as they perform the awelye for their country. Country is very important.
Colleen also paints bush medicine plants. There are different types of bush medicine in the Central Desert. In the 'olden days' the leaves and the seeds of this plant were gathered, ground and mixed with animal fat (today a commercial oil is used) and it is then used as an ointment, or boiled in water for medicinal use.