Maureen is daughter to Greeny Purvis Petyarre and Kathleen Kemarre, both her parents are highly respected artists. Greeny is senior custodian for Alhalkere country. Initially Maureen worked in the medium of batik along with over eighty other women from the Utopia Region in Central Australia. Her work is featured in Art Gallery of Western Australia (Perth), Homes a Court Gallery and gallery Collection and many collections around the world, view full BIOGRAPHY

MPK035682

Artist: Maureen Purvis
Title: Pencil Yam Seed MPK035682
Medium: Acrylic on Linen
Image Size: 48 x 35cm
Framed Size: 65 x 50 cm

MPK034234

Artist: Maureen Purvis
Title: Pencil Yam Seed MPK034234
Medium: Acrylic on Linen
Image Size: 48 x 35cm
Framed Size: 65 x 50 cm

MPK034235

Artist: Maureen Purvis
Title: Pencil Yam Seed MPK034235
Medium: Acrylic on Linen
Image Size: 48 x 35cm
Framed Size: 65 x 50 cm

MPK034236

Artist: Maureen Purvis
Title: Pencil Yam Seed MPK034236
Medium: Acrylic on Linen
Framed Size: 65 x 50 cm
Image Size: 48 x 35cm

MPK034238

Artist: Maureen Purvis
Title: Pencil Yam Seed MPK034238
Medium: Acrylic on Linen
Image Size: 48 x 35cm
Framed Size: 65 x 50 cm

MPK034242

Artist: Maureen Purvis
Title: Pencil Yam Seed MPK034242
Medium: Acrylic on Linen
Image Size: 123 x 35cm
Framed Size: 140 x 45 cm

NOTES:
Kame, the seed of the atnwelarr (pencil yam), is the subject of Maureen’s painting. The Dreamtime story for this seed belongs to Maureen’s country Alhalkere in the Utopia Region, North East of Alice Springs. In the Dreamtime there are txo parts to the Kame story, one that belongs to Alhalkere and Atnangkere countries, and the other that belongs to Arnumarra country. Two different seeds were born that created two different species of pencil yam; one called Atnwelarr which belongs to Maureen’s country, and the other called Arlatyeye which belongs to Arnumarra country. The Kame story is a major Dreamtime story for Maureen’s country and ceremonies by her people are performed to ensure its productivity as a food source and life form of the ancestors. Maureen uses soft dot work and beautiful colours in this painting to represent the kame. This style was custom made by Maureen for her story.

Maureen Purvis Kngwarreye Biography

Skin Name: Kngwarreye (pronounced eng-wah-ray)
Language Group: Anmatyerre
Country: Alhalkere
Subjects: Kame (pencil yam seed) Dreaming

Maureen is daughter to Greeny Purvis Petyarre and Kathleen Kemarre. Both parents are highly respected artists. Greeny is senior custodian for Alhalkere country. Initially Maureen worked in the medium of batik along with over eighty other women from the Utopia Region in Central Australia. Her work in batik is featured in “Utopia – A Picture Story” - the Holmes á Court Collection.

Artist Maureen Purvis Kngwarreye (also spelled Ngwarai)
Born 1962
Language Anmatyerre
Country Alhalkere
Medium Silk and cotton batik,
Acrylic on canvas and linen
Subject(s) Kame (seed of the pencil yam) Dreaming,
Atnwelarre (Pencil Yam) Dreaming, Camp
Scenes, Awelye (women’s ceremony and body paint designs)

Pencil Yam Seed - Maureen Purvis Kngwarreye artistic designs
Kame, the seed of the atnwelarr (pencil yam), is the subject of Maureen’s painting. The Dreamtime story for this seed belongs to Maureen’s country Alhalkere in the Utopia Region, North East of Alice Springs. In the Dreamtime there are txo parts to the Kame story, one that belongs to Alhalkere and Atnangkere countries, and the other that belongs to Arnumarra country. Two different seeds were born that created two different species of pencil yam; one called Atnwelarr which belongs to Maureen’s country, and the other called Arlatyeye which belongs to Arnumarra country. The Kame story is a major Dreamtime story for Maureen’s country and ceremonies by her people are performed to ensure its productivity as a food source and life form of the ancestors. Maureen uses soft dot work and beautiful colours in this painting to represent the kame. This style was custom made by Maureen for her story.
 

EXHIBITIONS
1989 Utopia Women’s Paintings, the First Works On Canvas, A Summer Project, 1988-89, S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
1990 Utopia- A Picture Story, an exhibition of 88 works on silk from the Robert Holmes á Court Collection by Utopia Artists which toured Eire and Scotland
2000 Mbantua Gallery, Alice Springs, N.T
2002 Art and Soul Gallery with Mbantua Gallery, Nashville, T.N, U.S.A
2002 'The Cove Gallery' Portland, Mbantua Gallery, Oregon U.S.A
2002 Urban Wine Works, Mbantua Gallery, Portland, Oregon U.S.A
2002 Mary's Woods, Mbantua Gallery, Portland Oregon U.S.A
2003 New City Merchants with Mbantua Gallery, Knoxville, T.N, U.S.A
2003 Art and Soul Gallery with Mbantua Gallery, Nashville, T.N, U.S.A
2003 'The Cove Gallery' Portland, Mbantua Gallery, Oregon U.S.A
2003 Contemporary Aboriginal Art Event, Umpqua Bank, Mbantua Gallery, Portland, Oregon U.S.A
2003 Mary's Woods, Mbantua Gallery, Portland Oregon U.S.A
2003 Art from the Dreamtime at Portland Art Museum, Mbantua Gallery, Portland Oregon U.S.A
Aug-Sep 2004 Mbantua Gallery USA exhibitions; Portland, Nashville, Hartford and Greenwich
Sept 2004-Jul 2006 Evolution of Utopia, Mbantua Gallery Cultural Museum, Alice Springs, N.T opened by the Honorable Robert Hill
March 2005 Yam Dreaming – Atnwelarre, Mbantua Gallery, Alice Springs, N.T

COLLECTIONS
Art Gallery of Western Australia (Perth)
Homes a Court Gallery and gallery Collection Perth
Mbantua Gallery Private Collection, Alice Springs

Source & FURTHER REFERENCES:
 "Aboriginal Artists of the Western Desert - A Biographical Dictionary" by Vivien Johnson, published by Craftsman House 1994,
 "The Oxford Companion to Aboriginal Art and Culture" edited by Sylvia Kleinert and Margo Neale published by OUP 2000,
 “Australian Aboriginal Artist Encyclopedia” – dictionary of biographies” Kreczmanski, Janusz B & Birnberg, Margo (eds.): Aboriginal Artists: Dictionary of Biographies: Central Desert, Western Desert & Kimberley Region (JB Publishing Australia, Marleston, 2004).
Brody, A. 1989 Utopia women’s Paintings: the First Works on Canvas, A summer Project, 1988-89 exhib. Cat. Heytesbury Holdings, Perth Brody, A. 1990 Utopia, a picture Story, 88 Silk Batiks from the Robert Homes a Court Gallery and gallery Collection, Heytesbury Holdings LTD Perth NATSIVAD database;  Latz, P. 1995, Bushfires & Bushtucker, IAD Press, Alice Springs.