My Mother's Country by Betty Mbitjana

The designs in this painting are inspired by Betty's mother's country, Atnwengerrp. Her mother Minnie Pwerle was a renowned artist during the late '90s and early '00s. Linear designs represent awelye (women’s ceremonial body paint designs) for Atnwengerrp country, small circles represent anemangkerr (a small and sacred bush melon) and larger concentric circles represent waterholes on Atnwengerrp country.

Colours: Titanium White on a black background.

• This painting comes unstretched and rolled in a tube. See our Custom Stretching page for stretching options.
• Size of painting: Approx 30cm x 30cm
• Border: Approx 6cm strip of black canvas border; enough required for wrapping around a 2cm or 3cm deep stretcher frame which is the popular choice for framing Aboriginal art.
• Material: Synthetic polymer paint on canvas
• This painting comes with a Certificate of Authenticity

Name: Betty Mbitjana
Skin name: Mbitjana (also spelled Mpetyane)
Language group: Anmatyerre
Country: Ahalpere
Region: Utopia, Central Australia
Born: 1957

Betty participated in Batik workshops in the 1980's which were followed by acrylic workshops in the early 1990's. Her batiks are featured in the Holmes a Court Collection and the publication Utopia – A Picture Story. Her early paintings used colour and shape to render depictions of the Bush Plum Dreaming that belongs to her country, and her paintings have been exhibited extensively throughout Australia. 

Betty was a likely successor to paint her mother's designs after her passing in 2006. Betty had been by Minnie's side throughout her six year career and had acted as her unofficial agent. For Betty to take on the designs, with permission from the family, was a reward for all; the community could continue to receive financial benefits through Betty, and most importantly Minnie's legacy lives on. 

Read Betty Mbitjana's full bio »

Catalogue: SP0623

Have your new painting arrive ready to hang (Australian deliveries). We work with a framer to get your artwork stretched and delivered ready to hang so you don't have to worry about anything. 

Choose the applicable size from our Custom Stretching page and simply add to cart.