Bernadine Kemarre Johnson

Bernadine Kemarre Johnson is an Eastern Arrernte artist, born in the Santa Teresa community in 1984. This community is now known by its traditional name Ltyentye Apurte. Santa Teresa was set up as a Catholic mission in the 1950s and today has a population of around 500 people. Bernadine had a traditional upbringing and learned to paint at school. She leaned her cultural stories and developed her style over many years, often painting with family and friends. These days Bernadine spends her time between Adelaide and Alice Springs, with partner and acclaimed artist Stephen Pitjara Martin . Bernadine paints a number of styles. She draws inspiration from her homeland in Central Australia. Her work frequently depicts bush medicine leaves, community scenes and landscape. Bernadine regularly travels back to her community outside Alice Springs and is very engaged with her children, grandchildren and wider community.