Bessie Pitjara

Artist: Bessie Pitjara

Skin Name: Pitjara

Language Group: Alyawarr

Region: Utopia, Northern Territory

Vendor: Utopian Aboriginal Art

Dreaming: Bush Plum (Arnwekety)

Bessie Pitjara was born in 1960 into the Alyawarr tribe. She lives on Utopia with her mother, renowned artist, Polly Ngala and her aunties, Kathleen Ngala and Angeline Pwerle Ngala.

Bessie began her artistic career in batik, like many of the women in Utopia, before venturing into painting with acrylic paints on canvas. Her mother Polly Ngala taught her how to paint and she shares the same dreaming - Bush Plum (Arnwekety).

The Bush Plum is an important source of food for Bush Women and today they still gather the plums once the fruit ripens to maturity. Bessie’s paintings depicts the Bush Plum and the effect of its growth patterns on her country. She illustrates the topography in shades of reds, oranges and yellows and pinks, purples and plums reflecting the varying seasonal palette. She builds up layer upon layer of colour creating a multi-dimensional effect to reveal the Bush Plum - and her country - Arlparra in all its glory.