1963
Language Group:Anmatyerre
Country:Atnwengerrp, Utopia Region, North East of Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Medium:Acrylic on Canvas and Linen
Subjects:My Grandmother's Country, Awelye (Women's Ceremony) for Anemangkerr (Bush Melon)
Teresa Purla is an Anmatyerre artist connected to Atnwengerrp Country, north of the Utopia region of Central Australia.
Teresa is the daughter of the late renowned artist Barbara Weir and has been painting since 1990. Through her family's strong artistic traditions, she has developed her own distinctive style, creating incredibly fine dot work that reflects the stories, beauty and cultural knowledge of her Country.
Working in acrylic on canvas and linen, Teresa paints Awelye (women's ceremony and body paint designs) and the story of Anemangkerr (Bush Melon/Bush Tomato) from Atnwengerrp Country. Her detailed paintings are a continuation of the stories passed down through generations, while also expressing her own connection and interpretation of Country.
Teresa's artworks have been exhibited throughout Australia and continue to be recognised for their intricate detail, patience and connection to her family's artistic legacy.
Teresa paints her grandmother's country, Atnwengerrp. Her designs depict some significant sites of Atnwengerrp country including land formations and campsites as well as flora and fauna.
Awelye (Women's Ceremony), Spiritual Figures and ancestral dancing tracks, as they can still be seen today, etched in the rocks at Anthep, are also depicted. This ancestral place remains the most significant site on Atnwengerrp country for Teresa's people today. It is a place where everyone - men, women and children - can meet together and camp.