Gracie Morton c. 1956-2024

Although the exact date is unknown, Gracie Morton is believed to have been born around 1965 in Utopia, a large Indigenous homelands region north-east of Mparntwe (Alice Springs). Her aunties are the Petyarre sisters - Gloria, Kathleen, Myrtle, Violet and Ada Bird, all of whom are recognised artists in their own right.

Gracie began her artistic career following the formation of the Women's Batik Group in Utopia in the 1980s; all of these batik works are now held in the Robert Holmes á Court collection. After learning skills and story from her family members, Gracie moved to painting on canvas. Many of her works now represent her Bush Plum Dreaming story from her country. 

The finely layered dots of colour represent the low hanging fruits in various stages of ripeness. Gracie uses a different shade for each layer, creating depth and vibrance. The lines that dissect the canvas are the tracks the women walk to collect the plum. They meet in the middle, where the concentric circles are, to eat these nutritious fruits. There are many songs and ceremonies that relate to the bush plum.