Gladdy Kemarre

Gladdy Kemarre was born around 1950 at Mount Swan in her father’s country. The daughter of Clara Kngwarreye and Kwementyay Pwerle, she was brought up in the Harts Range region with her sister Ally Kemarre and her brother Billy Benn Perrule. The three siblings grew up learning the traditions of their Anmatyerre people and learning to paint through the ceremonial body designs. Their father was a carver of traditional objects, boomerangs and spears. All three siblings would go on to be successful artists. Gladdy Kemarre began her artistic career in the late 1970s as a member of the Utopia Women’s Batik Group. She was involved in the landmark exhibitions A Picture Story (1988) and A Summer Project (1989) which introduced the art of Utopia to the world. Gladdy Kemarre has exhibited widely throughout Australia and Europe and her works are held in most state collections in Australia. In 2009 she was a finalist in the Wynne Prize at the Art Gallery of New South Wales and was awarded first prize in the both the Mount Buller Art Awards and City of Swan Art Awards. Gladdy Kemarre’s success has continued to rise through her selection as finalist in The King’s School Art Prize, The Stanthorpe Art Prize, The Albany Art Prize, The Fletcher Jones Painting Prize, The Waterhouse Natural History Prize and The Arthur Guy Memorial Painting Prize.