Betty Mbitjana Pwerle
About Betty
Betty was born out bush in the lands surrounding Utopia in Central Australia, approx 2 hours north east of Alice Springs. Her mother Minnie Pwerle and sister Barbara Weir are both acclaimed indigenous artists. As young girls Betty and her sisters grew up watching the art movement develop in and around Utopia. It was this exposure to art that provided the direction for Betty and her sisters to take up painting themselves. Betty first began painting with the group of artists that were part of the batik project. During this time, she travelled around Australia with many of the batik artists.
Following the death of her mother, Betty has increased in profile and now portrays her mother’s stories in her paintings. She is married to Paddy Club and divides her time between Alice Springs and her homelands at Utopia.
About the artwork
In this painting she depicts a combination of her bush melon and her Mothers Dreaming: Awelye Atnwengerrp. Awelye is the name given to the famous ceremonial body paint, commonly painted on women for important occasions.
Betty is an extremely talented artist and her work has a unique energetic style that is so similar her famous mother the late (Minnie Pwerle) a highly collectable artist. Betty’s work is increasing in popularity and value, and kept in major private and public collections.
