In her paintings, Pitjara Hunter symbolizes all that is associated with Awely - the decorated torsos of the women the women's ceremonial sites or dreaming places where women are gathered and the other representations of the ceremony – digging and music sticks, coolamons and feather adornments.

Susan sketches her entire work in pencil before begins applying acrylic paint. She then applies her paint with the finely sharpened end of a stick. The result is a myriad of expertly executed dots forming an abstract whole. She takes months to complete her larger more complex works.

Susan’s inspiration for her paintings is derived from her knowledge of Awely and the ceremonies associated with it. Awely refers to the ceremonial world of women, women’s social structure and ritual knowledge and is commonly known as women’s business. It also includes women’s ceremonial body designs.

Susan learnt about Awely designs while painting on the bodies of women about to take part in a ceremony. The many striped designs painted on the upper torsos of ceremonial dancers are the source of inspiration for her paintings.