Skin Name: Kngwarrey (pronounced eng-WAH-ray, also spelled Ngwarai, Ngwarrey)
Born: c. late 1960's
Language Group: Alyawarr
Country: Ngkwarlerlanem and Arnkawenyerr
Subjects: Camp Scenes of Utopia life, Ilyarnayt Seed, Awely (Women’s Ceremony), and many Dreamtime stories that altogether Michelle calls Country, as it all belongs to her country. Dreamtime stories include Alpeyt (Wild Flowers), Rainbow Dreaming (Boor-la-da), Ilyarn, Ilyarnayt, Tharrkarr (Sweet Honey Grevillea), Yerramp (Honey Ant).

Michelle paints olden day life in her countries Ngkwarlerlanem and Arnkawenyerr and so this painting is called Country. Women are seen in this painting taking care of their community while the men elsewhere doing men’s business. There are three humpies in this community which are olden day housing made of brush and are still made to this day. In a clearing on the left side of this painting women are shown performing Awely (women’s ceremony). Some women are painted in ceremonial designs, dancing with their dancing sticks, while other women are sitting nearby singing and making rhythm. At the bottom of this painting in Anapwa Kwaty, a nearby soakage with plenty of water for the community. One woman can be seen collecting water. Other women are returning from collecting bush tucker nearby, and others are at camp preparing the food. It is all very much a social event. Coolamons or kngwara (carved wooden bowls) full of amern (food) and digging sticks, shown in this painting, are common utensils used for collecting bush tucker en the surrounding areas.

Michelle Lion is a modern artist but also she creates beautiful "naive style" paintings a narrative of traditional life from her country. The painted environment often reflects the current condition and seasons of their land, the lack of/or abundance of specific foods and plants. Lots of water indicates good rains – wild flowers after rain. Men, women and children are shown hunting and gathering bush food, returning to camp, preparing and sharing with family. Careful reading of these paintings will often show other aspects of community life e.g. man and women performing ceremony, or conflict between different skin groups.

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.