began her artistic career in batik, like many of the women in Utopia, before venturing into painting with acrylic paints on canvas. She often assisted her sister Kathleen and also the late Emily Kngwarreye Kame with whom she shared the same country. Arlparra is her country from her father's side and her mother came from Ngwelay, commonly known as Kurrajong Bore. Together with her sisters, Polly is a senior custodian of the Bush Plum (Arnwekety) Dreaming.
Polly's depicts the Bush Plum and its effects on her country. She often depicts the topography in shades of reds, oranges and yellows reflecting the varying seasonal palette. Like her sister Kathleen she builds up layer upon layer of colour creating a multi-dimensional effect to reveal the Bush Plum (Ankwekety) in all its glory.
EXHIBITIONS:
- 2009 2009 "Utopia - Bush Plum & Other delicacies", Honey Ant Gallery, Noosa, Queensland.
- 2008 "Utopia Revisited", NG Art Gallery, Sydney.
- 2007 "Journeys and Dreams", Gecko Gallery, Broome.
- 2007 "Visions of Utopia", Coo-ee Aboriginal Art, Sydney.
- 2003 "20th Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award", Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin.
- 2000 "Arts d'Australie, Arts d'Australie", Stephane Jacob / Espace Mezzo - Avenue des Champs-Elysees, Paris.
- 2000 "Arts d'Australie", Stephane Jacob / Air France, Paris.
- 1990 "Utopia - A Picture Story", an exhibition of 88 works on silk from the Holmes a Court Collection by Utopia artists which toured Eire and Scotland.
- 1989 "Utopia Women's Paintings, the First Works on Canvas, A Summer Project", 1988-89, S. H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney.
COLLECTIONS:
- The Holmes a Court Collection, Perth.
- Aboriginal "Dot" Painting, Melbourne
- Modern Art - Ancient Icon, The World Bank, Washington, USA
SOURCE: Birnberg, M & Kreczmanski, JB 2004, Aboriginal artists dictionary of biographies: Western Desert, Central Desert and Kimberley Region, 1st edn., JB Publishing, Marleston.