Dreamtime Sisters | 45h x 45w | RK877
Not stretched or framed | Acrylic on primed linen
Colleen Wallace Nungarrayi (b.1973) is an Eastern Arrernte artist who was grew up between Ltyentye Apurte (Santa Teresa) and Mparntwe (Alice Springs) in the Northern Territory. Colleen began painting in the 1990s, encouraged by her stepmother, esteemed artist Kathleen Kemarre Wallace. Colleen is married to Colin Bird, who is son to the famous Utopia artist Ada Bird Petyarre, and they have five children together.
Colleen is known for her precise dot work and use of vibrant colours. Her most popular works are her ‘Dreamtime Sisters’ series which the Eastern Arrente people call "Irrernte-arenye". It is the role of these ancestral spirit figures to look after their Country, to guide their people and guard important areas of land (In particular, sacred and ceremonial sites). These works are beautiful, with intricate dotting and bold colours that represent wildflowers and berries blossoming in the desert after a big rain.
Colleen is by far one of Utopia’s most popular artists with her Dreamtime Sisters series being purchased not only Australia wide but internationally.
Given that the majority of her paintings are small in size, they are often collected and displayed in sets of two or three to give a triptych affect.
