Artist

Dora is the youngest daughter to the late Minnie Pwerle and Barbara Weir’s youngest sister.

This dreaming is titled ‘Awelye — Women’s Ceremony’ and was passed down to her by her sister Betty Mbitjana.

Artwork Information

This piece was painted in 2022 and is 31cm x 31cm in size.

Click on the ‘view in a room’ option above to see what it would realistically look like within a space.

Collection: Blooming

Embark on a captivating voyage into the realm of ‘Blooming,’ an enchanting pop-up installation at Burnside Village, SA that masterfully weaves the creative threads of Pwerle Gallery and Hygge Studio.

Drawing inspiration from Utopia’s desert wildflowers, ablaze with hues after the spring rains, this installation is a heartfelt tribute to the land’s vibrant blossoms.

With the advent of spring, the Indigenous bond with the land deepens, resonating with the evolving seasons. The wildflowers burst forth in a symphony of purples, oranges, and yellows adorning emerald stems, against the backdrop of the earth’s fiery red embrace.

View the full collection here.

Dreaming

Dora’s Awelye paintings depict the designs that the women would paint on their bodies, and the dancing tracks which are made in the sand during women’s awelye ceremony. Through their awelye ceremonies, women pay homage to their ancestors, show respect for their country and dance out their collective maternal role within their community.

A design based on these dancing tracks is painted on women’s bodies before a ceremony is performed, and this same design can be seen today in Dora’s works on canvas and in the works of her mother, sisters, and aunts. Ochre, charcoal and ash are all used to paint designs on the women’s upper bodies, and Pwerle women paint their chests, breasts and upper arms for awelye in ochre, red and white. The designs they use have been passed down for many generations, and only the Pwerle or Kemarre owners can paint them.

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.