1965
Language Group:Alyawarre
Country:Irrultja and Atnwengerrp, Utopia Region, North East of Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Medium:Acrylic on Canvas and Linen
Subjects:Anaty (Desert Yam), Anemangkerr (Bush Melon) Dreaming, Akarley (Northern Wild Orange)
Jeannie predominately paints Anaty (desert yam or bush potato), with its seeds and flowers, which she enjoys collecting in her homeland. Jeannie's distinct style for her story was created in 2004 for Mbantua Gallery and its captivating energy has thrust her name throughout Galleries nationwide. In 2008, Jeannie's large Anaty painting was selected for the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA), the most prestigious Aboriginal art award in Australia.
Jeannie comes from a strong and respected painting family in Utopia. Her mother is Dolly Mills, her late uncle was Greeny Purvis Petyarre, and her great aunt was the internationally celebrated Emily Kame Kngwarreye (dec). She also spent many years painting alongside the late Ahalpere elder Lena Pwerle, learning by watching and doing. Growing up surrounded by senior artists and cultural knowledge holders, Jeannie has developed into a confident and capable artist, proudly continuing her family's legacy while expressing her own interpretation of Country.
Cheerful and warm by nature, Jeannie is known for her genuine smile and quiet pride in sharing her knowledge of the bush. Though shy at first, she speaks with confidence when it comes to her work and teaching others about bush foods and medicine. Born in 1965 to a traditional healer, Jeannie is now a respected healer herself.
For many years she lived in a small camp near the Utopia health clinic, a few hours north of Alice Springs. Tucked behind a line of old cars and known locally as 'Jeannie's camp', it reflected the regard people had for her and the role she played in the community. She keeps bush medicine prepared and ready, continuing her healing work alongside her painting practice. Being one of Mbantua Gallery's nurtured artists, and working with Jeannie for so long, we are proud to have witnessed Jeannie develop into an established and talented artist.
Jeannie paints the Anaty story from her father's country. This yam grows underground with its viny shrub growing above ground up to 1 metre high. The anaty is a tuber, or swollen root, of the shrub and tastes much like the common sweet potato. It can be eaten raw or cooked and is still a staple food for the desert aborigines where it can be harvested at any time of the year. Some can be found as big as a person's head.
