Margaret Scobie: Capturing Bush Medicine Leaves in Art, 30x41cm FJ477JD

Margaret Scobie: Capturing Bush Medicine Leaves in Art

Captivating feathery strokes in softest hues of cream and white radiate from the centre and dance all over the canvas, showing the movement of leaves with the wind.

Margaret Scobie has created a stunning series of paintings depicting Bush Medicine Leaves, a significant Dreaming story. Her work beautifully captures the essence of this ancestral knowledge, vital for healing. Using warm desert hues against a deep black background, Margaret's paintings illustrate the changing seasons and the transformation of bush medicine leaves.

The Bush Medicine Leaf design is inspired by a native shrub abundant in Utopia's desert regions. These leaves change colour and medicinal properties with the seasons. Margaret's brushstrokes, depicting the leaves drying in the sun, create a mesmerising rhythm on the canvas.

The process of making bush medicine involves Aboriginal women from Utopia gathering the leaves, which are then dried, ground, and mixed with animal fats to extract medicinal oils. This traditional practice, integral to Aboriginal culture, has been used for thousands of years for spiritual and physical healing.

This work, rooted in deep cultural history, reflects the importance of these leaves in traditional health practices.