Click here to read The Age article by Chris Beck
In 2006 Flinders Lane Gallery was proud to present, together for the first time, the paintings of Minnie Pwerle and younger sisters Molly, Emily and Galya Pwerle (aged 75 - 90). These senior artists from the Utopia community in the North Eastern Desert painted an extraordinary body of works that were vibrant, colourful and energetic, belying their ages. All the sisters have the same Dreaming which comes from their country Atnwengerrp (pronounced a/noog/it/apa).

Minnie painted all aspects of body painting, representing-dance, bushtucker, ceremony and law. Molly paints ceremonial body paint in bold linear stripes. Emily paints her dreaming in symbols layered in patterns. Galya paints bushtucker seeds of the bush tomato and grasses.

Minnie took a close and supportive role in the development of her younger sisters. All artists, the youngest being in her 70's, have had an instant response to applying paint onto canvas, developing expressions of the dreamings that have been passed from generation to generation. Keeping the culture alive through the passing on of these symbols and patterns ensures the survival of these peoples in the harsh desert conditions.

The first workshop with the sisters was started in late 2004 by Minnie's eldest daughter Barbara Weir at the Ultja Outstation. The project has continued on to this date without any release of the artworks. A major workshop was run every six weeks, all women continued working between the workshops, totally engaged and delighted in the experience.

During the workshops all artists Minnie, Molly, Emily and Galya would come together and work on a collaborative canvas as well as their own individual canvas. Most workshops were done in the community of Ultja. This created a lot of interest bringing around lots of family and others in the camp. During these workshops of 2005 many art interested onlookers where invited to come out and see the development of the artists.