The late artist Sheena Wilfred of the Ritharrngu / Kriol Language groups, of the Wagilak clan of Dhuwa moiety, painted Bush Foods as a depiction of Australian floral and fauna. In 2015 the painting was translated into a tapestry by the ATW.

Over many years Wilfred developed a unique painterly style, created with small brushstrokes and bright colours. This style allowed Wilfred to emphasise the shifting seasonal moods of her landscapes, from the dry season to the wet season.

In Bush Foods various land formations are depicted across the top of the painting, creating a flattened perspective where objects in the foreground and background are the same size. Numerous forms of Australian bush tucker, such as yams and other root vegetables, are shown at the bottom of the painting, with their stems intact, as if they are still underground. Australian flora, including stems of wattle, curl over the colourful background and three little Ibis’ perch on rocks throughout the painting.

The tapestry was woven using a very bright colour palette, as requested by the client. A large tonal variation of colours in wool and cotton were used in each bobbin to reflect the tonality of the heavily mixed paint, and to respond to the very small brush strokes used in the work. Each bobbin was wound with 11 strands of yarn.

Sheena Wilfred is represented by Karen Brown Gallery.

The ATW was greatly saddened to hear of the passing of Sheena Wilfred in 2016. The ATW honours Sheena's contribution to contemporary art, and we hope she is remembered through her beautiful tapestry.