Susan Hunter Petyarre

Artist: Susan Hunter
Skin name: Petyarre (also spelled Pitjara, Petyarr, Apetyarr)
Language group: Alyawarr
Country: Arawerr
Region: Utopia, Central Australia
Born: c. 1966

Susan is the younger sister of Annie Pitjara Hunter, Jessie Pitjara Hunter and Sandy Pitjara Hunter.  She resides in Utopia in the Eastern Desert and lives a traditional life spending all her time in the bush.

Susan has always had a deep sense of belonging to her country and her paintings are rendered with extreme care and respect for her subject matter. The end result is a myriad of intricate patterns symbolising her country.  

Susan’s work encompasses all aspects of her country, Arawerr, and also Irrwelty – her mother’s country. In her paintings Susan often depicts women's ceremonial sites or dreaming places where women are gathered, as well as ceremonial body paint designs.

The women sit and chant the songlines that have been passed down to them from their ancestors. It is at these ceremonial meetings that the women pass on their Dreamings to the younger ones.