1952
Language Group:Alyawarre
Country:Ngkwarlerlaneme and Arnkawenyerr, Utopia Region, North East of Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Medium:Acrylic on Canvas and Linen, Batik on Silk
Subjects:Ilyarnayt (Acacia Flower), Country, Awelye (Women's Ceremony), Alpite (Wild Flowers), Yerrampe (Honey Ant) Dreaming, Tharrkarr (Sweet Honey Grevillea)
Audrey is the daughter of fellow Utopia artist Mary Morton Kemarre. Her sisters Lucky, Sarah and Ruby Morton are also well known in the Aboriginal art industry. Along with her mother and sisters, Audrey participated in batik workshops that were held in Utopia from 1977 to 1987. Her work is represented in the Holmes à Court Collection which was exhibited extensively within Australia and abroad.
Audrey, like her sisters, paints an extraordinary variety of stories which they say come from two Countries. These countries are Ngkwarlerlaneme and Arnkawenyerr of which she belongs to. Audrey can also paint the ceremonial body paint designs belonging to these countries and also her mother's country Antarrengeny.
All of Audrey's Dreamtime stories belong to her country, Ngkwarlerlaneme and Arnkawenyerr. This painting is inspired by the Dreamtime story of the Ilyarn or Ilyarnayt, a rare and attractive plant growing throughout Central Australia.
This plant is particularly favoured for the abundance of edible grubs living in the roots, known simply as Ilyarnayt, and also its seeds (Ntang Ilyarnayt) which are collected, ground into a paste and used for making damper (bread).