Gracie Morton Pwerle

Gracie Morton Pwerle
Born: c. 1956
Country: Utopia Homelands
Language: Alyawarr
Gracie Morton Pwerle is a senior Alyawarr artist, born around 1956 at Utopia in Central Australia. She is the daughter of Utopia artist Myrtle Petyarre, the sister of famous artists Gloria and Kathleen Petyarre. There is a rich artistic tradition that runs through Gracie’s family and also the Utopia community. Not only Gracie’s aunties but her sisters, Mary, Rita and Elizabeth, are also artists.
Gracie began painting in the 1980s during “A Summer Project”, where acrylic paints and canvas were introduced to the women of Utopia. Her artworks have been well received throughout Australia and overseas. Gracie is a senior traditional custodian of the Arnwekety (Bush Plum) Dreaming, and in accordance with traditional law she is responsible for ensuring the Dreaming, customs and traditions associated with the Bush Plum are upheld. This responsibility was passed down to Gracie from her father and aunt.
Gracie’s primary subject in her artworks is therefore Arnwekety and through her artwork she depicts the changing seasonal influences on this plant. With incredible finesse Gracie creates a wonderful lyricism in her artworks, causing a three-dimensional visual effect that guides the observer through the soft outward-reaching fields of colour. Her delicate dotting style and colour variation depict the Bush Plum from an aerial perspective.
Gracie’s artworks are represented in major private collections including the Holmes à Court Collection and her paintings are exhibited regularly through various galleries in Australia. She has been a part of international exhibitions in China, Germany, Italy and The Netherlands.