Trip to Utopia - Home of our Artists

Trip to Utopia - Home of our Artists

Only some impression from our trip. Most of the images of our meetings with artists at their place of residence I cannot show since I have not asked for permission to publish them. The landscape and area is about 250 kms north/east of Alice Springs and it is the home of some of Australia's most significant Aboriginal artists. Whilst many live temporarily in Alice Springs, almost all of them spend on and off time at home in their country.

I have made this trip many times, the first time in 1996. Nothing much has changed since. Images speak for themselves.

This is the country the most beautiful Aboriginal art is coming from. If you are a Collector of Aboriginal Art you will have heard of Emily Kame, Gloria Petyarre, Ada Bird, Kathleen Petyarre, Lindsay Bird, Kudditji, Barbara Weir, Emily Pwerle, Galya Pwerle, Molly Pwerle, and numerous others

       250 km's drive with not much change

       

       Elena and I share driving

        No problems when the car brakes down. There is always a chance to get home by bus ??? 

        or to look for some accommodation

       and if you are lucky you can buy a sandwich in the only local store. This time I had no luck but I could get enough petrol to drive another 200 km's further east on the Sandover Highway and to get back to Alice.

 

       Crossing the river bed we are lucky to have a decent 4-wheel drive. There are no plans yet to build a bridge that would be useful during a rainy season.

      Having a chat with Teresa the granddaughter of Minnie Pwerle at her home. We are friends since the late 1990's. She is a great artist having learned from her mother the late Barbara Weir. I gave her paint and some 90 x 90 cm linen and on my next trip I will pick up the completed artworks.

And this is for our website. Meeting some of our artists a couple of days later in Alice Springs.

      Elena with Janet Golder, daughter of famous late Polly Ngale. Paints Bush Leave and a variety of other dreamings, including in the style of her mother.

      Werner with Colleen Wallace. Paints Dreamtime Sisters. A very popular Dreaming from Santa Teresa. She married one of Lindsay Bird's son and apart from painting she is teaching in Mulga Bore in Utopia.

      Werner with Charmaine. Daughter of Barbara Weir and granddaughter of Minnie Pwerle. A  very popular artist with her paintings in demand in Australia and overseas.

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