DIANE KEMARRE ROSS

Diane Kemarre Ross was born in Alice Springs in 1988, and grew up in an outstation called Irrultja where she would go hunting and collect bush medicine with her family. 

Diane now lives in Ampilatwatja, where she began painting. When she first moved there Diane would watch and learn from her Aunty Rosie Ngwarraye Ross and older sister Margaret Kemarre Ross, both of whom are successful painters from Ampilatwatja. Diane enjoys painting bush medicine that she finds when travelling out bush, and this can be seen in her work. 

"This is my country, it's the country around Irrultja. This is where we like to go after big rain. After big rain there, we can go swimming. There is always good hunting on my country. It is good for me to paint my country and it makes me feel good." - Dianne

The community of Ampilatwatja made a conscious decision not to paint ‘altyerr’ dreaming stories, the artists paint their country where those stories sit. 

 

These paintings shows the layered landscape of Alyawarr, Central Australia. Knowing your country is an important part of living in a remote community like Ampilatwatja. Knowing when and where to go hunting and gathering, knowing where there is ‘soakage’ (where you can dig for water), travelling with family for ceremonies, and maintaining a connection with the land.