Dolly Petyarre Mills

Artist: Dolly Petyarre Mills

Skin Name: Petyarre (Pitjara)

Language Group: Alyawarr

Region: Utopia, Northern Territory

Vendor: Utopian Aboriginal Art

Dreaming: Emu (Ankerr) Tucker, Yam Seed (Anaty)

Dolly Petyarre Mills was born in 1948 at Boundary Bore Outstation on Utopia Community in the Northern Territory and her language group is Alyawarr. Dolly lives with her sister, Gloria (Glory) Petyarre Mills, at Boundary Bore and are full sisters to Greeny Petyarre Purvis. She is widely recognised as one of Australia’s leading Aboriginal artists and has work in major Australian and international collections.

The delicate patterning and subtle colours of Dolly’s work depicts her country of Alhalker situated in the Utopia region north east of Alice Springs. She participated in the Utopia, A Picture Story which included 88 silk batiks from Robert Holmes a Court collection. This confirmed the artistic credibility of the Utopian artists.

The major subject of her work is in association with the Yam (Anaty) Dreaming and Emu Tucker (Ankerr) Dreaming.

Bibliography:

• Brody, A., 1989, Utopia Women's Paintings: the First Works on Canvas, A Summer Project, 1988-89, exhib. cat., Heytesbury Holdings, Perth. ©
• Brody, A., 1990, Utopia: a Picture Story, 88 Silk Batiks from the Robert Holmes a Court Collection, Heytesbury Holdings Ltd, Perth. ©

Exhibitions:

• 1984 - The First National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin
• 1985 - The Second National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin
• 1989 - Utopia Women's Paintings, the First Works on Canvas, A Summer Project, 1988-89, S. H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
• 1990 - 'Utopia - A Picture Story,' an exhibition of 88 works on silk from the Holmes a Court Collection by Utopia artists which toured Eire and Scotland
• 1992 - Central Australian Aboriginal Art and Craft Exhibition, Araluen Centre, Alice Springs
• 2003 - Sofitel Melbourne, World Vision Australia – Walkabout Art
• 2005 - Bett Hobart Gallery
• 2006 - Senior Women of Utopia, GalleryG, Brisbane
• 2007 - Patterns of Power, Art from the Eastern Desert, Simmer on the Bay, Sydney
• 2007 - Eastern Desert Dreaming, Artists from Utopia, GalleryG, Brisbane
• 2007 - Desert Song, Brush with Art Festival, Prairie Hotel, Parachilna, SA
• 2008 - Power of Place, Tandanya: National Aboriginal Cultural Institute Inc.
• 2008 - From the Desert to the Sea, Yurlunggar Art, Brisbane