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Eileen Bird
B.1956
It is an
ancient tradition that gave the World its most
exciting form of contemporary art. |
If you love
Art of
impeccable
provenance,
the
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you want is at
Galeria Aniela
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 Eileen Bird
is a well-known Australian
artist, born into a family of renowned artists that
includes
Gloria Mills
Petyarre,
Lindsay Bird,
Gloria Petyarre,
Anna Petyarre
and
Emily Kngwarreye
recognized as World’s best contemporary
abstract
artist.
Her work is represented in worldwide
collections
including
Umpqua Bank
Portland Oregon USA,
Art and Soul
Gallery Nashville Tennessee USA,
New City Merchants Knoxville Tennessee USA,
Cove Gallery USA,
Kelton
Foundation Santa Monica USA,
Art gallery of NSW,
Homes a Court
Collection,
Art Bank Sydney,
Kerry Stokes collection,
Art
Gallery of the Northern Territory
and more.
Eileen has own
distinctive,
unique linear design,
based on
ceremony
associated with women's spiritual and nurturing role in Aboriginal
society.
Her state-of-the-art bird's-eye-view modern mysterious, hypnotic landscapes have
the sheer physical presence of much contemporary work of art and build
up the topography of depth and space.
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Artist: Eileen Bird
My Country
E035195
Acrylic
on linen on board
125 cm x 35 cm
Framed:
145 cm x45 cm
Price:
Enquire |
Artist: Eileen Bird
My Country
E035911
Acrylic
on linen on board
95 cm x 35 cm
Framed:
115 cm x45 cm
Price:
Enquire |
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Eileen Bird
Biography
 Eileen Bird
linear designs her paintings
signify women’s ceremony Awelye.
Eileen’s artworks have been shown in
exhibitions around Australia and the USA.
Eileen
was born circa 1955
into a well-known artistic family.
She married
the
eldest son of Ada Bird Petyarre,
Paddy Bird (1940-2010) and they have eleven children most of them are fine artists
in their own right.
Eileen's
family
encompass
widely recognized Australia's Aboriginal
artists including
Gloria
Mills Petyarre
(B.1932),
Lindsay
Bird
(B.1935),
Gloria Petyarre
(B.1945),
Anna Petyarre
(B.1965) and
Emily Kngwarreye
(1910-1996) who dubbed by art experts as one of the world’s best modern and
abstract artists.
Exposed to family artistic experience,
Eileen
Bird
inherited the family creative gene however,
Eileen
originated her own
unique
distinctive style.
Eileen Bird work has the
physical presence of the much contemporary art.
Eileen
paintings
create the dialog the present with the past,
describing the
ancient
ceremonies called 'Awelye'.
Eileen
Bird
work
has
been featured in numerous Exhibitions both nationally and internationally.
Eileen
was
involved with the Utopia Batik since 1977 and is features in prestigious book
'Utopia A Picture Story'. Eileen
work is
represented in
important
Collections within
Australia and overseas
The linear
designs in Eileen Bird’s paintings signify women’s ceremony 'Awelye'.
'Awelye'
refers to women's ceremonies associated with women's business and also to the
painting of designs on a women's body.
This spiritual, sensuous and meditative
performance reflects the nurturing role of women in Aboriginal society.
The designs are painted during the 'Awelye' ceremonies on people chest, breasts,
arms and thighs.
Powders are ground from red and yellow clays 'Ochre' also
charcoal and ash are used to paint the women's body.
She apply
paint with a flat stick with soft padding call 'Typale' and each woman takes her
turn to be painted-up.
During the ceremony women sing songs associated with
their 'Awelye'. Women perform 'Awleye' ceremonies to demonstrate respect for
their country and the total well-being and health of their community.
Eileen Bird Nungari (nee Webb) was one of
the first artists Central Art began working with in 2004.
Eileen had heard about Central Art - and me (Sabine Haider,
Director of Central Art) through her mother-in-law Ada Bird
Petyarre (Ada sadly passed away in 2010).
Ada Bird Petyarre was pivotal in encouraging
me to set up Central Art and it was through her support that
Central Art is able to work with so many talented and highly
acclaimed artists.
Eileen is an Eastern Arrente woman, from the Bushy Park region. Eileen grew
up at Harts Range Station, several hours north-east of Alice
Springs in Central Australia.
As a young woman Eileen met
Paddy Bird, who is the eldest son of famed Utopian artist, Ada Bird Petyarre. The couple married and had 11 children
together. Both Eileen and Paddy Bird are artists, as well as
most of their children taking an interest and learning the
stories and art of symbol depiction.
Eileen and Paddy live at Mulga Bore in the
Utopia region of Central Australia, relocating here after
they were married. Eileen began painting in the 1990’s as a
recreational activity, which has grown into a career of some
sort.
Eileen’s paintings depict one of the, if not, the
oldest form of art depiction – “Awelye” – or women’s body
paint design. Her paintings depict the important body paint
designs that are used during ceremonial times.
The word
“Awelye” would roughly translate to women’s business in
English and is a term used to describe everything associated
with women’s ceremony and lore.
The body paint designs which
are painted on the upper bodies of women also reflect the
dancing tracks that the women will often take whilst
participating in ceremonies. Traditionally ochre rocks are
used as paint as they are soft and can be ground down and
water added to make a natural paint.
 Similarly to Ada Bird Petyarre, Eileen often represent the breasts of women in her artworks,
perhaps this was the influence of Ada Bird.
Her paintings
use a lot of contrasting colour and she is not afraid to use
bright purples, yellows and reds in her works.
The painting
Central Art has available is a good example of some of her
older works and is a very large piece, over 2 meters in
length.
REFERENCES
"Aboriginal Artists of the Western Desert - A Biographical
Dictionary" by Vivien Johnson, published by Craftsman House
1994
"The
Oxford Companion to Aboriginal Art and Culture" edited
by Sylvia Kleinert and Margo Neale published by OUP 2000
Kreczmanski, Janusz B & Birnberg, Margo
(eds.): Aboriginal Artists: Dictionary of Biographies:
Central Desert, Western Desert & Kimberley Region (JB
Publishing Australia, Marleston, 2004).
Brody, A. 1989 Utopia women’s Paintings: the
First Works on Canvas, A summer Project, 1988-89 exhib. Cat.
Heytesbury Holdings, Perth Brody A. 1990 Utopia, a picture
Story, 88 Silk Batiks from the Robert Homes a Court
Gallery and gallery Collection, Heytesbury Holdings LTD
Perth NATSIVAD database.
COLLECTIONS
Art gallery of New South Wales
Umpqua Bank
Portland Oregon USA
Art and Soul
Gallery Nashville Tennessee USA
New City Merchants Knoxville Tennessee USA
Cove Gallery USA
Homes a Court
Collection
Art Bank Sydney
Kerry Stokes collection
Art
Gallery of the Northern Territory
Kelton
Foundation Santa Monica USA
Mbantua gallery & cultural museum
Araluen Arts Centre
Eileen Bird Petyarre
work is successfully sold in Australian Art
Auction, see Records
EXHIBITIONS
1989 Utopia Womens Paintings, the First Works on Canvas, A Summer
Project
1988-89 S. H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
1990 Contemporary Aboriginal Art from the Robert Holmes a Court
Collection, Harvard University, University of Minnesota, Lake Oswego
Center for the Arts, United States of America
1991 Central Australian Aboriginal Art and Craft Exhibition, Araluen
Centre, Alice Springs
1991 The Eighth National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and
Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin
1998 Mbantua Gallery Alice Springs NT Australia
2002
Art and Soul
Gallery Nashville Tennessee USA
2002
Cove Gallery Portland Oregon USA (Benefit
- OHSU Heart Research Centre)
2002 Urban Wine Works, Portland, Oregon USA (Benefit –
OHSU Heart Research Centre)
2002 Mary's Woods, Portland, Oregon USA (Benefit –
OHSU Heart Research Centre)
2002
New City Merchants Knoxville Tennessee USA
2003
Art and Soul
Gallery Nashville Tennessee USA
2003
Cove Gallery Portland, Oregon USA (Benefit
- OHSU Heart Research Centre)
2003 Contemporary Aboriginal Art Event,
Umpqua Bank
Portland Oregon USA (Benefit - OHSU Heart Research Centre)
2003 Mary's Woods, Portland, Oregon USA (Benefit -
OHSU Heart Research Centre)
2003 Art From The Dreamtime
Portland Art Museum Oregon USA (Benefit - OHSU Heart Research Centre)
2004 Gallery USA exhibition in Portland, Nashville,
Knoxville and Hartford.
Bibliography
 Brody, A.1989, Utopia Women's Paintings, the First Works on Canvas, A
Summer Project, 1988-89, exhib. cat. Heytesbury Holdings, Perth.(C)
1990, Contemporary Aboriginal Art from the Robert Holmes a Court
Collection, exhib. cat. Heytesbury Holdings Ltd. Perth.
Aboriginal
Artists of the Western
Desert, A Biographical
Dictionary" by Vivien
Johnson, published by
Craftsman House 1994,
"The
Oxford Companion to
Aboriginal Art and Culture"
edited by Sylvia Kleinert
and Margo Neale published by
OUP 2000
Australian
Aboriginal Artist
Encyclopedia
dictionary of biographies by
Kreczmanski, Janusz B &
Birnberg, Margo (eds.):
Aboriginal Artists:
Dictionary of Biographies:
Central Desert, Western
Desert & Kimberley Region (J.B.
Publishing Australia,
Marleston, 2004)
Brody, A. 1989
Utopia women’s Paintings:
the First Works on Canvas, A
summer Project, 1988-89 exhib. Cat. Heytesbury
Holdings, Perth Brody, A.
1990 Utopia, a picture
Story, 88 Silk Batiks from
the Robert
Homes
a Court Gallery and gallery
Collection,
Heytesbury Holdings LTD
Perth NATSIVAD database
Latz, P. 1995, Bushfires & Bushtucker, IAD
Press, Alice Springs.g, Margo (eds.):
Aboriginal Artists: Dictionary of Biographies:
Central Desert, Western Desert & Kimberley Region (JB
Publishing Australia, Marleston, 2004).
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The
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decades of collaboration and shared artistic vision.
Arthur Boyd's
legacy remains a focal point in the Australian art world. Our relationship with
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Arthur Boyd
began in 1995. It has been a true privilege to nurture this friendship and host
numerous exhibitions of the Boyd’s family profound work.
Current Highlights and Representation:
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Jamie Boyd
(1948–2025): We deeply mourn the passing of
Jamie Boyd, the son of Arthur and Yvonne Boyd. We continue to celebrate
Jamie Boyd legacy as one of the family's
most important international artists, honoring him as a paramount figure in
their history.
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Ongoing Exhibitions and Support:
2025-2026, Galeria Aniela continues to champion the Boyd family's legacy,
recently supporting the landmark 2025 summer exhibition,
The Hidden
Line: Art of the Boyd Women, held at
Bundanon.
Dear Aniela,
I am writing to thank you for all your support for the launch of
The Hidden
Line: Art of the Boyd Women,
myself and the team at
Bundanon
are very grateful to you for all your help in making such a significant
exhibition possible.
Warmest regards,
Meghan Kennedy
Curatorial Project Officer
Bundanon Trust
Comprehensive Family Works:
Galeria Aniela curates significant collections of works by the Boyd family,
including prominent Australian artists such as
Arthur Boyd,
David Boyd,
Guy Boyd,
Jamie Boyd,
and Lenore
Boyd.
Historical Milestone Partnerships:
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In
1997, Galeria Aniela had the distinct privilege of hosting the landmark
‘Best of Boyd’ exhibition. This historic event marked the first time six
members of the artistic dynasty -
Arthur Boyd,
Guy Boyd,
David Boyd,
Jamie Boyd,
Lenore Boyd
along with
Tessa
Perceval exhibited together under one roof. Comprising 100
paintings and 40 bronze sculptures, the exhibition garnered major national
attention, featuring on the front
page of the
Sydney
Morning Herald and in dedicated segments on ABC TV’s
Australian
National News and
Sunday
Afternoon.
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In
2000, Galeria Aniela
Fine Art
Gallery had the honor of holding the
John
Perceval Retrospective. Featuring 80 works spanning 1946
to 1999, the exhibition was a major media event, famously captured by the
ABC TV
National
News, who flew the Australian National News crew to
the gallery's Sculpture Park by helicopter to document the opening.
Exhibition Dates: August 19 – October 19, 2000. Media Coverage:
Reported by senior journalist Anne Maria Nicholson for ABC TV. Opening:
Officially opened by Justin Miller Chairman of Sotheby’s Australia on August
19, 2000.
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In
2002, Galeria Aniela
Fine Art
Gallery hosted a major retrospective for
Charles
Blackman. This landmark
Blackman
Retrospective, curated by Blackman Trust curator Walter
Granek, gained significant national recognition and was featured on SBS TV's
Art-Scream.
Historical Legacy: As of 2025, Charles Blackman (1928–2018) remains one of
Australia's most beloved figurative artists, and this retrospective is a key
part of his
exhibition history.
PAST
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Combining expertise in the Australian art market with a
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Our
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