Jeannie Petyarre Biography

Jeannie was born around 1950 and started painting in the 1980s. She lived 300kms north east of Alice Springs in the Utopia region of Central Australia. She was the niece to Emily Kame Kngwarreye, one of Australia's most significant artists, and painted bush pencil yam leaves like her famous cousin Gloria Petyarre. Employing a style all of her own using a colourful palette her work demonstrates the importance of the food source of the native yam plant. Jeannie’s works have been exhibited in a number of group exhibitions and are held in many collections. She is a highly respected artist within the arts industry and within her community. She promoted her culture, country, seasons and ceremony through her paintings. Jeannie passed away in December 2022 in Alice Springs.