Artist: Charmaine Pwerle
Title: Women’s Ceremony*
Language: Alyawarre
Area: Utopia, Northern Territory
Medium: Cushion Cover
Size: 45cm x 45 cm

Artwork: The inspiration for Charmaine’s painting comes from the Awelye – body paint design associated with the stories from her grandmother’s country Atnwengerrp, just north of the Utopia region of Central Australia. The painting illustrate significant ceremonial sites, dancing and story lines. Women paint their upper body with markings, relating to particular women’s dreaming, before dancing in a ceremony.

Charmaine Pwerle, born in 1975, is the daughter of well-known artist Barbara Weir and granddaughter to the late great Minnie Pwerle.  Charmaine went to early primary school in Utopia, was then sent to Adelaide for three years to further her studies. She completed her secondary education at St Phillips College in Alice Springs.

Women’s Ceremony*