Bush Melon Seeds | 90h x 60w | RK811
Not stretched or framed | Acrylic on primed linen
Valorine Morgan Kngwarreye is the granddaughter of the late Minnie Pwerle, who was one of Australia's top female contemporary Indigenous artists. Her father is Keith Morgan Petyarre who is also an artist from Utopia. Her mother passed away when she was young.
She currently lives in Alice Springs with her two sons and one daughter. She predominantly paints 'My Grandmother's Country' and her work reflects the style of Minnie and her aunty, Betty Mbitjana, paintings Awelye (women's ceremony) for Anemangkerr (bush melon) from Atnwengerrp.
Valorine said, 'When nanna was alive, I looked after her, - cooking, washing, cleaning, etc. I prepared paints and changed water when she did painting. I took out nanna hunting and camping. We caught witchetty grub, kangaroo, goanna, bush banana, sugarbag…lots of tucker!'
She has beautiful memories of her younger days in Utopia. She started painting when she was about sixteen. She learnt how to paint by observing Minnie and other family members. After she had her first baby, she stopped painting for a while.
Valorine is an emerging artist whose paintings have gained a strong following within a very short space of time.
