Like many of the Utopia women artists, Angelina Pwerle began producing work with the Indonesian technique of Batik in 1986. Not long after, canvas and acrylic paint was introduced to her community and it has largely been in this medium that Angelina has come to national and international prominence.

 

Angelina's work is predominantly concerned with representations of the bush plum dreaming. This subject matter has been given varied forms of expression. She has worked with intense areas of dotting, tiny marks that are built up over a dark ground to create an ambiguous surface that shifts and moves with remarkable liveliness. Other paintings have also incorporated a looser style using a brush. These works have been characterised by intense patches of colour and elegant outlining of shapes.

 

Angelina also produces carved figures. These sculptures of animals are striking. They are bold simplified forms decorated with bright colours or natural ochres.

 

Born c.1952, Angelina lives and works in Ngkawenyerre, Utopia, Northern Territory. Her work has been collected by many significant public and private collections including the Holmes á Court Collection, the National Gallery of Australia, National Gallery of Victoria and the National Museum of Art, Osaka, Japan.