Language Group: Alyawarr

Region: Antarrengeny, Utopia Region, NT

Dreaming: Country, Awelye (Women's Ceremony and Body Paint Designs), Apeng (Kurrajong) Dreaming

Mary Kemarre Morton (deceased) was responsible for painting body designs on young women initiates and singing Awelye - the word used to describe the painted designs on the body, and the ceremonial teachings through painting, song, dance and totems- to encourage their fertility. Her country was Andaringya on the northern end of Utopia and she had custodial responsibility for the Kurrajong tree seed. 

Mary and her husband Billy Stockman (both deceased) had a large family all of whom Mary taught to paint. They in turn have passed on her teachings through painting. Today her daughters Lucky, Ruby and Audrey Morton paint their mother’s stories hence passing them onto the next generation.

• Aboriginal Art Museum, The Netherlands

• Flinders University Art Museum, Adelaide.

• Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin.

• Museum of Victoria, Melbourne.

• The National Gallery of Australia, Canberra.

• The Holmes a Court Collection, Perth

• The Kelton Foundation, Santa Monica, USA

• 1989 - Utopia Women's Paintings, the First Works On Canvas, A Summer Project, 1988-89, S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney

• 1990 - Utopia A Picture Story, an exhibition of 88 works on silk from the Holmes á Court Collection by Utopia artists which toured Eire and Scotland

• 1990 - Stanislawsk-Birnberg Margo, Journeylines©

• 1991 - The Eighth National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin

• 1991 - Aboriginal Women's Exhibition, Art Gallery of N.S.W, Sydney

• 1993 - The Tenth National Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin

• 1994 - Yiribana, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney

• 2002 - Mbantua Gallery USA exhibitions: Mbantua Gallery USA exhibitions: Art and Soul Gallery, Nashville TN; 'The Cove Gallery' Portland OR; Urban Wine Works, Portland OR; Mary's Woods, Portland OR

• 2006 - Senior Women of Utopia, GalleryG, Brisbane 

• 2007 - Standing on Ceremony, Tandanya Cultural Institute, Adelaide 

• 2007 - Patterns of Power, Art from the Eastern Desert, Simmer on the Bay Gallery, Sydney 

• 2007 - Eastern Desert Dreaming - Artists from Utopia, GalleryG, Brisbane

• 2007 – Eastern Desert Song, Brush with Art Festival, Prairie Hotel, Parachilna, South Australia

• 2008 -  Power of Place, Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute Inc., Adelaide

• 2008 – Yurlunggurr Art, From the Desert to the Sea, Brisbane

• 2009 – Brush With Art, Prairie Hotel, Parachilna, South Australia

• 2010 – May The Utopia Story, Australasian Arts Projects, Singapore

• 2010 – Aboriginal Artists in London June 11 - 13, London, UK

• 2010 - Western and Eastern Desert Art,  Stockman’s Hall of Fame, Longreach, Queensland