Charmaine Pwerle is an established Australian Indigenous artist, whose powerful and bold compositions rhythmically saturate her paintings. She is the daughter of nationally recognised artist Barbara Weir (c. 1940s -2023), and granddaughter of equally lauded Utopian artist, Minnie Pwerle (1915 – 2006).

Combining the awelye ceremonies and the Atnwergerrp region as subject matter, Charmaine’s works focus on her country: the lines depict the tracks that her people made as they trekked across the country in search of food and dry riverbeds and the large semicircular shapes represent the sandhills and valleys, with the dark background representing the path of a fire that has swept across the land.

On occasions, Pwerle’s paintings may show the form of a woman’s body adorned with ochre pigments collected from the land in preparation for the ceremonies. There may also be an outline of a person or unusual shapes that convey Dreaming spirits that dwell in the plant and animal life.

In Aboriginal culture, ceremonies are focal points in the life of the community and are held for different purposes, but each is integral to the continuation of Aboriginal culture and vital to the happiness and wellbeing of the people and the land.

Women’s awelye ceremonies are acknowledgments of their responsibilities for the land and their relationship to it and many Utopian women artists continue this important tradition, with the most senior women of the clan group leading the singing and dancing celebrations, which can continue for many days and nights.

Charmaine’s practice has recently extended to include textiles, in particular, hand-woven rugs which continue to depict the narratives of Pwerle’s ancestral Dreamtime.

Charmaine Pwerle’s inclusion in the Chadstone Art Collection demonstrates a commitment to embracing First Nations artists.