1983
Language Group:Alyawarre
Country:Irrultja, Utopia Region, North East of Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Medium:Acrylic on Canvas
Subjects:Bush Medicine
Bettrina Pula Bundey was born in 1983 at Ahalpere in the Utopia region of Central Australia and is an Alyawarre artist from Irrultja. She began painting for Mbantua Gallery in 2008 after learning by watching her mother, artist Maisie Petyarre Bundey.
Bettrina inherited the important Bush Medicine story from her mother and has developed her own artistic style, sometimes incorporating fine dotwork into her paintings. She also paints stories of Bush Flowers, Desert Flowers and Anaty (Bush Potato), sharing the knowledge and beauty of the plants connected to Country.
After marrying and focusing on raising her daughters, Bettrina took a break from painting. In 2023, she returned to Mbantua Gallery and expressed her excitement to begin painting again, restarting her artistic journey with fresh energy.
Bettrina is the daughter of Maisie Petyarre Bundey and the granddaughter of renowned artist Polly Ngale (deceased). She currently lives in Ampilatwatja with her husband Tony Morton and their two daughters, continuing to develop her artwork while sharing the stories passed down through her family.
Bettrina paints Bush Medicine. 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.
