Body Paint designs for Bush Medicine 2008 by Margaret Scobie, 152x122cm

Body Paint Designs for Bush Medicine, 2008 by Margaret Scobie Petyarre is a vibrant celebration of traditional Aboriginal ceremonies and the deep connection to the land. The arc shapes in this artwork symbolise the body paint worn by women on the upper torso, breasts, and arms during Awelye ceremonies, which honour the bush medicine leaves. Awelye refers to women's ceremonies associated with women's business and the painting of designs on the body, connecting to the fertility of the land and the abundance of food it provides.

Margaret Scobie, born in 1948 at Woola Downs in the Northern Territory, is a member of the esteemed Anmatyerre community, north of Alice Springs. She comes from a lineage of renowned artists, including Emily Kame Kngwarreye and the Petyarre sisters. Margaret has developed a unique style that reflects her family's Dreaming stories, particularly the "Bush Medicine Leaves."

In Body Paint Designs for Bush Medicine, Margaret uses tones of ochres and greens to depict the desert landscape and the various stages of growth of the leaves. Her work captures the essence of the Awelye ceremonies, where women paint each other's bodies with ochre, charcoal, and ash while singing Dreaming songs and performing dance cycles specific to their site.