A day at the art centre often begins with a bush trip to collect leaves, roots, berries and firewood. The women sit together, often by the sea or Angurugu River and design each garment, carefully placing leaves to make patterns and markings on the fabric before placing them into the dyepots full of the gathered plant materials. It’s then time for a cuppa and to wait and watch the silk transform into a unique reflection of Anindilyakwa land. As the women’s bush dyeing practice evolves, new plants are experimented with and new dyes are created.

“To me the scarves look like the rocks and all the different layers of the land, the trees and the bush. The spirits live all around in the trees and though the bush and when you are near the caves you can feel them floating. You can see these colours in the paintings in the caves, on the rock walls and when you sit there and look by yourself you can feel all the spirits moving”

Bernadette Watt