Kathleen Petyarre

Kathleen Petyarre was born in the 1940’s at Utopia,  north-east of Alice Springs in Central Australia. Kathleen Petyarre initially worked in batik and then took up painting on canvas as part of CAAMA's Summer Project in 1988-89.

Kathleen Petyarre was one of the key Anmatyerre women involved in the successful claim for the freehold title, which led to the 1979 formal hand-over of the Utopia pastoral lease back to its traditional owners. Kathleen's mother and seven sisters have managed to hold onto their land near Utopia Station.

Kathleen's paintings directly refer ther "Dreamings" and the associated country around Utopia, her Dreamings include Mountain Devil Lizard or Thorny Devil Lizard (Arnkerrthe), Women Collecing Bush Seeds. 

Kathleen Petyarre has won the NT Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award on two occasions. Most of her seven sisters are all well established artists - Ada Bird Petyarre (dec), Gloria Petyarre, Nancy Petyarre (dec), Myrtle Petyarre (dec) and Violet Petyarre. 

Kathleen Petyarre is the mother to well known artists Margaret Loy Pula and grandmother to Abie Loy Kemarre. Sadly, Kathleen passed away in November 2018.

WOMEN OF UTOPIA EXHIBITION (JUNE - JULY 2018)

'AMBATYE URPETYE' | KATHLEEN PETYARRE, MARGARET LOY PULA & ABIE LOY KEMARRE