Esther Haywood Petyarre is an emerging Alyawarre and Anmatyerre artist from the Utopia region of Central Australia who has inherited the cultural authority to paint the iconic Bush Medicine Leaf style pioneered by her late grandmother, the legendary Gloria Petyarre. Born in Alice Springs in 1982, Esther experienced profound personal loss at a young age when her mother tragically passed away in a car accident. Following this tragedy, she and her younger brother split their time between their father’s relatives in Ali Curung and living directly under the care of Gloria in Utopia. This unique, close-knit upbringing meant that Esther spent her formative years sitting alongside her grandmother, her great-aunt Emily Kame Kngwarreye, and the celebrated Seven Petyarre Sisters, learning the ancient traditions, songs, dances, and body paint designs belonging to her ancestral Atnangkere Country.
Under the direct tutelage of her family, Esther began painting for herself at just 16 years old, developing a highly precise and detailed eye for color and composition. In her grandmother’s later years, Esther acted as a devoted caregiver and frequently collaborated with her on canvas works, an intimate partnership that solidified her artistic training. Before her passing, Gloria formally granted Esther the absolute cultural permission and rights to carry on her globally acclaimed “Bush Medicine Leaves” and “Leaves on the Ground” dreaming motifs. Today, Esther is widely celebrated as part of the exciting new generation of Utopian contemporary artists. Her radiant and dynamic acrylic on canvas paintings are highly sought after by collectors and are represented in commercial galleries