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c. 1940's
Language Group:Alyawarre
Country:Atnwengerrp, Utopia Region, North East of Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Medium:Acrylic on Canvas and Linen
Subjects:Awelye (Women's Ceremony), Akarley (Northern Wild Orange), Night Sky
On a bush trip out to Utopia in November 2004, canvas was given out to many regular artists at a sorry camp near Clinic camp, in the Utopia Region of Central Australia. Some of these artists included Mary Morton, Queenie Morton, Old Billy Morton and Katie Kemarre. Lizzie was sitting under a humpy with family and ever so quietly asked for some canvas too. At this time, she was believed to be in her 60's and decided to give painting a go for the first time.
Mary Morton kindly helped Lizzie to answer some questions for a profile. We were told that a man by the name of Billy is her father, Queenie is her Aunty and Minnie Pwerle is her older sister. (They share the same father but have a different mother). Minnie (deceased) is a famed Aboriginal artist who began painting in her 80's. Both Lizzie and Minnie share the same Dreamtime stories, one of which is the Akarley (Wild Orange). Lizzie paints this and Awelye (women's ceremonial body paint design) that belongs to her country, Atnwengerrp.
The Akarley (Wild Orange) is a sweet fruit which often ripens in February. It is considered better than other wild oranges.
Lizzie has lived all of her life with the night sky being her 'bedroom ceiling'. Night after night the shimmering, twinkling and glittering presence of the stars has been an active part of her life. This painting is a representation of this piece of her spiritual life.
