Diane Ross Kemarre

My Country | 60h x 31w | RK265

Not framed or stretched | Acrylic on canvas

Diane was born in Alice Springs and grew up in an outstation called Irrultja.  Growing up in Irrultja it was very quiet, and Diane would go hunting and collect bush medicine with her family. Diane began school in Irrultja and then went onto college in Alice Springs where she met good friends, it was a happy time. 

Diane lives in Ampilatwatja now and has her own family, two children a girl and a boy.  She still visits family in Irrultja and they all go hunting and collect bush medicine together.  

She began painting when she moved to Ampilatwatja and would watch and learn from her Aunty Rosie Ngwarraye Ross and her big sister Margaret Kemarre Ross who are both successful painters from Ampilatwatja.  Diane enjoys painting bush medicine that she finds when travelling 'out bush'.  

The community of Ampilatwatja made a conscious decision not to paint 'altyerr" dreaming stories. The artists paint their country where those stories sit.  

Diane says "This is my country, it's the country around Irrultja. This is where we like to go after big rain. After big rain there, we can go swimming. There is always good hunting on my country. It is good for me to paint my country and it makes me feel good.

This painting does not come with a photo of the artist holding the work.