Bessie Purvis Petyarre

Bessie Purvis Petyarre was born c.1960 in Alhalkere country, Utopia in central Australia. Bessie mother is the renowned artist Polly Ngale Other well know family artists of Bessie are Kathleen Ngale, Angelina Pwerle. All these women artists Central Art represents and has a close relationship with.

Like many other Aboriginal women from Utopia, Bessie began experimenting with batik after it became a popular source of income in the late 1970s. When the option of acrylic on canvas was introduced in the late 1980s, Bessie adopted it and her work thrived. Bessie was taught to paint by her mother, with whom she shares the Bush Plum Dreaming.

The Bush Plum is significant as it is a major source of food for Bush Women, with ripened fruit still being gathered today. Using a topographical technique, Bessie indicates the growth patterns of the Bush Plum on her country. By building up layers of colour, Bessie is able to reflect varying seasonal colour tones and create a shimmering, vibrant effect in her work.

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