Celebration of Bush Plum 2002 by Gracie Morton, 91x91cm, Cat 7300GM

"Celebration of Bush Plum" (2002) by Gracie Morton is one of a small series of joyous multi-layered paintings produced after a good season of rain in Utopia when there was an abundance of bush plums. These paintings are full of promise and show the country from an aerial perspective.

The Bush Plum, scientifically known as Santalum lanceolatum and belonging to the Santalaceae family, is a prostrate plant that flourishes in colour after rain but quickly disintegrates in the hot summer. This plant features small, creamy-white flowers with four petals and olive-like fruits that transition from green to purple to black as they ripen. These fruits, produced post-rain, can be consumed raw or cooked and are noted for their high vitamin C content. The Bush Plum reproduces through suckering and has semi-parasitic roots that draw nutrients from surrounding vegetation.

Gracie Morton Pwerle is a member of the Alyawarre language group from Utopia, southeast of Alice Springs. Her artistic journey began in 1978 with the Utopia Women’s Batik group, alongside her great aunt Emily Kngwarreye. Gracie's mother, Myrtle, was one of the renowned seven Petyarre sisters, including Gloria and Kathleen Petyarre. In 1988, Gracie transitioned to using acrylic paints through a summer project by CAAMA.

Her surname varies in spelling (Pwerle, Pwerl, Purle, or Ngale) due to different linguistic interpretations.