Artist

Barbara Weir was born circa 1940 at what was formerly known as Bundy Station in the Utopia region. Her country is Atnwengerrp and her language is Anmatyerre and Alyawarr. 

Central Australia’s Barbara Weir has excited audiences all over the world with highly compelling abstract canvases that masterfully evoke a timeless illusion of depth and subtle rhythmic movement. It is an art that is as remarkable in its exquisite expression as is the story of her life. Her journey has been one of extraordinary courage, determination and achievement.

Barbara is one of Aboriginal Australia’s stolen generations. These were people who were forcibly taken from their parents as children and sent to other parts of the country to be raised in European families.

This policy was pursued from the early 1900’s to the 1970’s, as part of the Australian government policy to integrate mixed race children from fringe settlements into mainstream Australian life.

Barbara’s mother is Aboriginal artist Minnie Pwerle and her father, Irish-American Jack Weir, a married station owner in the Northern Territory.

Learn more about Barbara Weir here

Artwork Information

This piece was painted in 2007 and is 63cm x 152cm in size

Dreaming

In the background of her paintings, Barbara often depicts the temporary campsites that her people made as they trekked across the country in search of food or the coolamans used by the women to collect wild fruits and berries.

She sometimes shows the form of a woman’s body adorned with ochre pigments collected from the land in preparation for the ceremonies.

Small or large semi-circular shapes represent hills and valleys, and the lines of dry river beds and streams wind across the canvas as they do at Utopia.

Learn more here.

Medium

All the artwork provided is done on with highest quality linen canvas, acrylic paints, oils and brushes ensuring the longevity of each piece of work.