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There is a rich artistic tradition that runs in Margaret’s family. Margaret is related to many well respected artists Gloria Petyarre is her first cousin and Emily Kngwarreye is her aunt both achieved national and international recognition. Margaret paints an abundance of moving brush-strokes giving you the impression of vibrant moving leaves of the Bush Medicine plant which grows in the desert, the design depicting a particular type of native shrub renown for its medicinal properties. Margaret use an array of colors and the different colors represent the leaves at different times of the year.

COLLECTIONS: 
Margaret Scobie work is represented in private collectors in Australia and around the world.

Margaret has been painting for most of her life on her body before ceremonies and on ceremonial objects. The body-paint designs are learnt whilst applying paint to the chest, breasts and shoulders of women about to partake in ceremony. These images relate to her Awelye (dreaming) and are significant to the ceremonies and rituals that are the basis of her culture. She lives in Alice Springs with her husband, Tommy Johnny and their three daughters.

Margaret's mother is sister to the father of the famous Gloria Petyarre, and Ada Bird Petyarre and more notable was sister to late Emily Kngwarreye, the noted artist from Utopia. Her subject matters involve "Honey Ant Dreaming" as well as Mountain Devil Dreaming or just an abundance of moving brush-strokes giving you the impression of moving leaves in the desert.

She is a self-taught artist who lives in Alice Springs with her husband, Tommy Johnny and their three daughters. As a tribal woman from Utopia, Margaret has been painting for most of her life on her body before ceremonies and on ceremonial objects. The body-paint designs are learnt whilst applying paint to the chest, breasts and shoulders of women about to partake in ceremony. These images relate to her Awelye (dreaming) and are significant to the ceremonies and rituals that are the basis of her culture. Margaret Scobie was born in 1948 at Woola Downs, Northern Territory.

Margaret painting is in her "blood", she was destined to be an artist as her family contains a string of credited artists. Margaret's mother is sister to the father of the famous Gloria Petyarre, and Ada Bird Petyarre and more notable was sister to late Emily Kngwarreye, the noted artist from Utopia. Margaret was born in Woola Downs, Northern Territory, and was schooled at Ross Park Primary in Alice Springs. She now lives in the Central Desert, and has three daughters and one son, along with three grandchildren.

LANGUAGE: Anmatyerre
COUNTRY: Adelaide Bore (Utopia Region)
SUBJECT: "Awelye" ceremonial body-paint design

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Margaret Scobie born 1948

Acrylic on linen on board

 48 x 75 cm
Framed:  65 x 90 cm

NOTES

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