Aboriginal Fine Art

Tribe: Anmatyerre

Area: Utopia, Northern Territory

Born: circa 1965

Biography:

Anna Price Petyarre resides at Mulga Bore, an outstation at Utopia, NT approximately 220 km from Alice Springs. She lives near the general store with her husband, Colin Price and their children. Anna and Colin have two daughters and one son. She is also a grandmother, with five grandchildren.

Anna has painted since her early childhood. She speaks Anmatyerre (her native language) as well as being fluent in English.

Anna Paints the Bush Yam, Bush Yam Seed and Salt Lakes stories. These are the Dreamings of her grandfather and father’s country from the Boundary Bore region. As a traditional Aboriginal woman who engages in sacred ceremonies, she also paints women’s body painting designs.

Anna takes the utmost care and pride in her work and endeavors to bring the sensitivity of her culture to the canvas. Anna paints the salt lakes found in and around her home country.  Her painting is an aerial perspective of the salt lakes and surrounding country.  The large circles show dried salt plains that have formed over time.  Following the heavy rains of the monsoon, large water holes are created.  Gradually the water evaporates leaving only the salt behind, which form the large rings represented in Anna’s work.  The other facets of Anna’s painting show colors of the earth found in Utopia, the rich red sand, the clay, and the ochres all moving together with the contours of the land.