Rosemary Pitjara b. 1961

Rosemary Pitjara (Petyarre) was born in 1961 at Atneltyey (Boundary Bore) in the expansive Utopia homelands region of Central Australia, north-east of Mparntwe (Alice Springs). Rosemary is niece to the acclaimed artist Emily Kame Kngwarreye (dec.). Rosemary hails from both a region and family group of great artistic significance; a member of the famous Petyarre artist family; her cousin is the celebrated Gloria Petyarre (dec.) Many members of the Petyarre family are highly acclaimed painters in the Aboriginal art world.

Rosemary predominantly paints a bush medicine leaf design, popularised by her cousin Gloria. All aspects of bush medicine - the plants, the paths taken by women to collect it, and the process of preparing it - hold great cultural and spiritual significance to Aboriginal people. Rosemary depicts the way that the women would source and collect certain types of leaves. There are many ways that bush medicine can be prepared to treat a wide array of ailments; commonly, the leaves would be dried and then mixed with animal fats to extract their medicinal oils, and then be applied topically for their healing qualities. 

Rosemary’s style is consistent and rhythmic, lending a tranquil quality to the finished work. Rosemary is a senior artist, and her work has featured in numerous exhibitions across Australia and overseas.