Country by Delvine Petyarre (SOLD)

Intricate white dots systematically map out Delvine's country just north of Australia's Eastern Desert. Think dry river beds, yam root systems beneath the ground and traveling tracks – both by car and foot - of her people. Dotted circles represent significant sites on Alhalkere country such as Boundary Bore, the main community there, and sacred sites.

Delvine, like others, will dab a bamboo satay stick into a pot of paint and use this to create several to a dozen dots before going back for more paint and beginning the process again. 

This process creates areas of thicker consistency where dots appear larger, and other areas where the dots appear smaller and darker; the whole effect creating a twinkling, dotted, three-dimensional looking work of art.

The red ochre background in this piece lends an authentic look of the red sand country.

Artist

Name: Delvine Petyarre
Skin name: Petyarre (also spelled Pitjara)
Language group: Anmatyerre
Country: Alhalkere
Region: Utopia, Central Australia
Born: 1982