Ollie Kemarre

Artist: Ollie Kemarre

Skin Name: Kemarre (Kamara)

Language Group: Alyawarr

Region: Utopia

Vendor: Utopian Aboriginal Art

Dreaming: Bush Plum (Arnwekety), Wild Flowers

Born in 1933, into the Alyawarr tribe, Ollie Kemarre lived at Camel Camp, an outstation on Utopia Station. Sister of renowned artist, Gladdy Kemarre, Ollie was one of the senior women within her tribe. Kwementyay Kemarre passed away on March 16th 2007. She will be sadly missed.

Like her sister, Ollie paints her Dreaming, Bush Plum (Arnwekety) which has been passed down to her through her grandmother. Ollie uses a dark background as her backdrop to her dot-work. She lays colour upon colour to create a multi-dimensional effect. Ollie also paints Wild or Bush Flowers which are abundant in her country.

Bibliography:

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

Collections:

• Aboriginal Art Museum, The Netherlands
• The National Gallery of Australia, Canberra.
• The Holmes a Court Collection, Perth.

Exhibitions:

• 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 & Scotland.
• 2006 - Senior Women of Utopia, GalleryG, Brisbane
• 2007 - Eastern Desert Dreaming, Artists from Utopia, GalleryG, Brisbane