Anne Pitjara (Petyarre)

Anna Price Petyarre is the daughter of the late Glory Ngarla and niece to the late Emily Kame Kngwarreye. An emerging artist in the Utopia region, she began painting in the early 1980s. Born around 1965 she is a mother and grandmother. Anna primarily paints Yam Seed Dreaming, her works are colourful and intricate expressions of the songs and stories associated with her plant totem, the Bush Yam, and its seeds. The Bush Yam has been a staple food and water source for the Anmatyerre people for countless years, and the seeds that form and scatter from the plant are ground up to make flour for damper. During ceremony, it is Anna’s duty to pay homage to the yam seeds and give thanks for their abundance and regenerative qualities. By painting to the tempo of a ceremonial song, Anna expresses her connection to her plant totem in a permanent medium. A versatile and creative artist Anna has changed her painting style radically several times over the last decade. Her work is becoming more collectible as she develops her craft and cements her reputation as one of Utopia’s rising talents.