Australia's most prolific Aboriginal artist

Minnie Pwerle

Minnie, one of eight children and mother of acclaimed artist Barbara Weir, was born in the Utopia Station Region of the Northern Territory, 250 kms northeast of Alice Springs. She was married to Motorcar Jim and together they had six children.

Like many other highly respected Utopia women artists, Minnie participated in the batik project which was introduced to the community in 1977. Painting on canvas in the community started in the late 1980s.

In 1999, after many years of ceremonial body painting and in her late eighties, Minnie started to paint on canvas.

P1531 by Minnie Pwerle

Awelye
P1531
60 x 90 cm

Painting traditional body paint designs ofAwelye and her inherited Bush Melon Dreaming, Minnie soon attracted a large following, holding her first solo exhibition in Melbourne in 2000. Her knowledge of and her spiritual connection to the land is clearly evident in all her paintings.

P2077 by Minnie Pwerle

Awelye Atnwengerrp
P2077
127 x 187 cm

Minnie continued to paint until she died in March 2006. Her paintings are held in many overseas institutional and private collections as well as the major art galleries in Australia.

P1655 by Minnie Pwerle

My Country
P1665
84 x 145 cm

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