Bush Hen Dreaming 1998

Abie Loy Kemarre made this painting, Bush Hen Dreaming, and right away I'm thinking about her patience and commitment. Look at all the little dots, like stars in the night sky, each carefully placed. I can imagine Abie sitting outside, surrounded by the colors of the earth, lost in a world of mark-making. There is a brown circle in the center, and around it, the dots radiate outwards, mapping a journey. I love how painting can be a form of storytelling, a way of connecting with history and place. You can almost feel the land in this painting, the texture and warmth of the Australian desert. It reminds me of Agnes Martin's grids, but with a deeper connection to nature. Abie seems to want to map something essential, something that lives on and on. Painters are always borrowing from each other, and that’s what keeps the conversation going. It’s about finding your voice, your way of making a mark, while also acknowledging that you're part of something bigger.