Born on the 15th of May 1965 in the Atnwengerrp region in the Northern Territory, Jeannie Mills Pwerle is an Alyawarre woman and an established Utopian artist. Jeannie comes from an artistically lineage, her mother is the acclaimed Dolly Mills, and the late highly regarded Greeny Purvis Petyarre is her uncle.
Jeannie predominantly depicts the Anaty (Bush Yam or Bush Potato) dreaming from her father’s country of Irrwelty in Utopia. In these paintings bold and thick brushwork in vivid colours represent the flower and vegetable of the Anaty, while precise and detailed dotwork represent the Anaty seed. Her palette varies with each artwork, ranging from deep earthy tones to vibrant pinks and purples. The intricate placement and layering of the coloured strokes with their blended tones also creates a sense of movement throughout the canvas, giving each painting a dynamic flow.
Jeannie’s artwork was selected to exhibit in the 25th Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Art Award in 2008, a prestigious award that introduced Jeannie Mills Pwerle to an international audience. Her works have been widely exhibited and feature in a number of private and public collections in both Australia and overseas.