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1946
Deceased:2023
Language Group:Eastern Arrernte (Aranda)
Country:Santa Teresa, South East of Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Medium:Acrylic on Canvas and Linen, Watercolour on Board
Subjects:Women Collecting Merne Alangkwe (Bush Banana), Merne Atwakeye (Wild Orange), Angkwerrpme (Mistletoe), Merne Alangkwe (Bush Banana), Uluru, Ntang (Edible Seeds), Untitled Landscape, Awele Awele (Bush Tomatoes), Women Collecting Yerrampe (Honey Ant), W
Therese grew up at the Santa Teresa Mission, located southeast of Alice Springs, where she lived in a dormitory under the care of Catholic nuns. The girls at the mission were taught practical skills like cooking, sewing and house cleaning, with drawing lessons offered once a week. Key figures such as Sister Therese Marie, Sister Anastasia, Dr. Ethel Robertson and Mr. Sawjack played a significant role in fostering her interest in art and landscape painting.
The emerging artists from Santa Teresa, including Therese, were somewhat aware of Albert Namatjira and his acclaim as a watercolorist but were not heavily influenced by him at the time. Therese, along with Kathleen Wallace, Gabriella Wallace and others, participated in the Alice Springs Show and often received awards for their work.
After moving to Alice Springs, Therese continued to paint, developing her skills in both the landscape style and the traditional dot style. Her work includes interpretations of bush foods, reflecting her deep connection to her cultural heritage.
Therese paints women collecting Merne Pmerlpe, known as the quandong or native peach. Therese also refers to these as bush berries. Merne means food in Therese's language and Pmerlpe is the quandong. The pmerlpe is a traditional staple food, sought after for its fleshy fruit. The quandong is bright red when ripe and highly nutritious; its vitamin C content is twice as high as that of an orange. In traditional Aboriginal life, these fruits were also collected, pounded and made into cakes. The inside of the quandong has a large pitted stone or seed which is often used for marbles or making jewellery.
Women, represented by 'U' motifs, can carry with them their digging sticks and coolamons (carved wooden bowls) which are typical instruments used for collecting many bush foods.
