1979
Language Group:Anmatyerre
Country:Ilkawerne (El-go-an-na), Utopia Region, North East of Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Medium:Acrylic on Canvas and Linen
Subjects:Alpar (Rat-Tail Plant) Story, Awelye (Women's Ceremony), Women's Story, Imuna (Bush Food), Country, Inpernp (Little Whistle Bird), Awelye (Women's Ceremony) for Alpar (Rat-Tail Plant)
Jessie is the eldest daughter of renowned artist Lindsay Bird Mpetyane, and her mother is Mavis Bird Petyarre. Her two younger sisters are Rosie and Karen. Jessie has had the advantage of an Aboriginal education as well as a European education. She attended Mulga Bore (Akaye School) Primary and Yirara College in Alice Springs. Encouraged to develop her artistic talents by her family when quite young, Jessie would assist other family members with their work.
Her first paintings for Mbantua Gallery were in 1994. These earlier works comprised of very neat patterns of dots when describing her country, and strong, bold linear patterns when illustrating women's stories and body paint. Today Jessie's work is more refined as she explores new ideas to portray her stories from Ilkawerne Country.
Jessie also works as a teacher's aid at the Mulga Bore Primary School and helps to 'growup' some of the younger children in her large extended family.
Jessie paints the story of the rat-tail goosefoot or green crumbweed plant. In Jessie's language it is called Alpar. This small, erect herb is sticky to touch and scented heavily of citrus. Growing especially well in Mulga tree communities, it is found in abundance in Jessie's home in the Utopia Region, north east of Alice Springs.
