Gloria Tamerre Petyarre (1945–2021) was a towering figure of the Utopia art movement and one of Australia’s most influential Indigenous painters. Born at Atnangkere (Utopia), she emerged from a renowned family of artists and began with batik in the late 1970s before embracing acrylic on canvas during the 1988–89 CAAMA Summer Project. Grounded in Anmatyerre Law and Country, her signature subjects included Bush Medicine Leaves, Mountain Devil Lizard (Arnkerrth), Awelye body-paint designs, Yam and Grass Seed. She pioneered the dynamic Atnangkere Growth series, mapping dense, fire-renewing shrublands with interlacing linear fields. A prolific exhibitor across Australia, Europe, Asia and the US, she became the first Aboriginal artist to win the Art Gallery of New South Wales’ Wynne Prize (1999). Her work is held by every major Australian state gallery and leading international collections. Gloria passed away in Alice Springs on 8 June 2021, leaving a legacy that continues to shape the global understanding of Utopia painting.
Learn more about Gloria Petyarre here
Painted in 2012, this work measures 94cm x 123cm. It is currently stretched and ready to hang, with the artist’s signature featured on the canvas.
The Aknangkere Growth Dreaming belongs to the Anmatyerre people of Utopia and is tied to a sacred waterhole and ceremonial ground. It represents renewal, fertility, and the close relationship between people, plants, and Country. The site is known for its abundance of bush medicines and native flora, with stories of ancestral beings who gave these plants healing powers to sustain the people.
For Gloria Petyarre, this Dreaming was central to her identity and art. Her famous Bush Medicine Leaves series grows directly from Aknangkere, with rhythmic brushstrokes depicting the medicinal leaves collected, crushed, and used in traditional healing. The movement of her painted leaves symbolises their physical and spiritual potency, carrying the songs and ceremonies of her Country onto canvas.
Through her art, Gloria showed the cycles of growth, renewal, and resilience that Aknangkere represents.
The Dreaming is not just about plants but about abundance, ceremony, and caring for Country to ensure it continues to give life. As the first Aboriginal woman to win the Wynne Prize in 1999, Gloria’s recognition was rooted in this Dreaming, which she carried forward for her community and shared with the world.
Learn more here.
Each artwork is meticulously created using the highest quality materials to ensure longevity, vibrancy, and integrity over time. Artists work with premium linen canvas, selected for its durability and fine texture, paired with professional-grade acrylics and hand-picked brushes.
This combination allows for both bold expression and intricate detail, preserving the richness of the stories embedded in every piece. All materials are archival and museum-quality.
