or make 4 interest-free payments of
$52.50 AUD
fortnightly with
More info
1983
Language Group:Alyawarre
Country:Irrultja, Utopia Region, North East of Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Medium:Acrylic on Canvas
Subjects:Bush Medicine
Bettrina began painting for Mbantua Gallery in 2008. However, she stopped painting as she married and had been busy looking after her daughters. In March of 2023, Bettrina visited Mbantua Gallery and said that she wanted to do painting again. So we gave her some canvases, paints, brushes, bottles and needles.
Bettrina's mother is Maisie Petyarre Bundey (an artist from Utopia) and her father passed away a while ago. The late Polly Ngale (well-known artist) is her grandmother. Bettrina learnt to paint by watching her mother.
Bettrina received the Bush Medicine story from her mother and has developed her own style, sometimes using small dot work. She also paints Bush Flowers, Desert Flowers and Anaty (bush potato).
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.
