Betty Club Mbitjana
Betty Club
Mbitjana was born c1954, in Utopia, north east of Alice Springs, Northern
Territory. She is the daughter of
acclaimed artist Minnie Pwerle (deceased) and sister of the famous artist
Barbara Weir.
Betty paints the Awelye, Bush Plum Dreaming and these paintings depict the designs that the women would paint on their bodies, and the dancing tracks which are made in the sand during women's Awelye ceremony. Through their Awelye ceremonies, women pay homage to their ancestors, show respect for their country and dance out their collective maternal role within their community.
A design based on these dancing tracks is painted on women's bodies before a ceremony is performed, and this same design can be seen today in Betty's works on canvas and in the works of her mother, sisters, and aunts. Ochre, charcoal and ash are all used to paint designs on the women's upper bodies, and Pwerle women paint their chests, breasts and upper arms for Awelye in ochre, red and white. The designs they use have been passed down for many generations, and only the Pwerle or Kemarre owners can paint them.
Betty’s works are colourful and have a very contemporary design that make them very popular and have wide appeal.
Betty paints the Awelye, Bush Plum Dreaming and these paintings depict the designs that the women would paint on their bodies, and the dancing tracks which are made in the sand during women's Awelye ceremony. Through their Awelye ceremonies, women pay homage to their ancestors, show respect for their country and dance out their collective maternal role within their community.
A design based on these dancing tracks is painted on women's bodies before a ceremony is performed, and this same design can be seen today in Betty's works on canvas and in the works of her mother, sisters, and aunts. Ochre, charcoal and ash are all used to paint designs on the women's upper bodies, and Pwerle women paint their chests, breasts and upper arms for Awelye in ochre, red and white. The designs they use have been passed down for many generations, and only the Pwerle or Kemarre owners can paint them.
Betty’s works are colourful and have a very contemporary design that make them very popular and have wide appeal.