• Artist: Sharon Numina

• Title: Bush Medicine Leaves

• Region: Darwin, NT

• Size: 150 x 100 cm

• Acrylic paint on canvas

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About Sharon 

Sharon Numina was born in 1981 and received her education at Kormilda College in Darwin. She is one of six sisters and two brothers. Her mother, Barbara Price Mbtitjana, a respected elder painter and cultural figure from Stirling Station near Tennant Creek, imparted her knowledge of painting to all her daughters.

Sharon is considered one of the younger contributors to the distinguished Numina Sister collective of desert artists. She currently resides in Darwin with her older sisters. Sharon's late father hailed from Utopia. The narratives depicted in her artworks, including themes such as Bush Tucker, Goanna, and Dingo Tracks, as well as other significant motifs, reflect her mother's and father's country, as well as their Dreaming totems and cultural knowledge. Sharon, along with her sisters and mother, descends from a long line of desert painters associated with the contemporary Aboriginal art movement and the dot painting tradition originating from the Central Desert. This legacy includes notable painter aunts Gloria and Kathleen Petyerre, who have established themselves as prominent artists in Alice Springs.

About the artwork

This painting depicts the Bush Medicine Leaves. The Bush Medicine Plant is a native Australian species that grows abundantly in Central Australia. Women traverse various locations throughout Utopia to gather leaves from these plants. Upon returning to the camp, the leaves undergo a boiling process to extract the resin. Subsequently, kangaroo fat is incorporated into the resin, resulting in a paste that can be preserved for extended periods under bush conditions. This medicinal preparation is utilised for the treatment of cuts, wounds, bites, and rashes and functions as an insect repellent. Through her artwork focusing on "Bush Medicine," Sharon pays tribute to the spirit of the medicine plant, hoping it will regenerate, allowing the community to continue reaping its healing benefits.