Evelyn Pultara (born c. 1941) was a highly respected Anmatyerre artist from the Utopia region in the Northern Territory, Australia. Coming from a lineage of renowned artists, she was the sister of Greeny Purvis Petyarre and the niece of the legendary Emily Kame Kngwarreye. Raised in her ancestral country, Evelyn remained deeply connected to her cultural roots throughout her life, passing on traditional knowledge through her art and family.
Evelyn’s artistic career began in the late 1990s, initially exploring traditional Aboriginal designs before developing her distinctive style. Her works are celebrated for their striking depictions of the Bush Yam (Atnwelarr), a sacred and significant plant in Anmatyerre culture. Using rich, earthy tones and intricate brushwork, Evelyn’s paintings capture the plant’s sprawling root systems, embodying its deep spiritual and cultural significance.
In 2005, she was awarded the General Painting prize at the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, cementing her status as a leading Indigenous artist.
Her artworks are now housed in prestigious collections, including the National Gallery of Australia and The Holmes à Court Collection. Evelyn’s legacy lives on through her art, which continues to share the stories, traditions, and sacred knowledge of her people with the world.
This artwork was produced in 2012, acrylic on linen and is 90cm x 150cm in size.
This piece is currently stretched and available to view at our Adelaide gallery via. appointment only.
Yam Seed Dreaming (Atnwelarr Dreaming) The Bush Yam, also known as Atnwelarr or Pencil Yam, holds deep spiritual and cultural importance for the Anmatyerre people. This native plant, which produces edible tubers beneath the desert soil, has long been a vital food source, sustaining generations of Aboriginal families. Women traditionally gather the yams by following the plant’s delicate vine-like tendrils that weave through the land, carefully digging to unearth the nourishing roots.
Evelyn Pultara’s Yam Seed Dreaming paintings reflect this sacred connection between her people and the land. Her intricate dot work and fluid brushstrokes symbolise the tangled networks of the plant’s roots, spreading beneath the desert surface. The rhythmic patterns in her art represent the cyclical nature of growth, renewal, and survival—key themes in Anmatyerre Dreaming.
Through her work, Evelyn did more than depict the physical aspects of the Bush Yam; she told a timeless story of resilience, knowledge, and ancestral ties to Country. Her Dreaming remains a tribute to the strength and wisdom of her people, preserving the sacred narratives that have guided them for thousands of years.
All the artwork provided is done on with highest quality linen canvas, acrylic paints and brushes ensuring the longevity of each piece of work.
