QUEENIE MCKENZIE - GALYAH - TEXAS DOWNS

 QUEENIE MCKENZIE
GALYAH - TEXAS DOWNS,  1997
60 x 90 cm
natural earth pigments on canvas
 
PROVENANCE
Turkey Creek, WA
 
 
STORY
This painting depicts the Texas Downs Station, east of Warmun strongly connected to the artistā€™s early life. ā€�I bin born Old Texas, dat called Salt Pan country. Salt water you gotta drinkimā€™. No more goodfella water, all salt ā€“ bitter. I bin born la dat country.ā€™ Queenie spent her childhood and much of her adult life working as a goat herder and, later, as a cook in the mustering camps of Texas Downs.  Cattle was mustered at the station and driven across to the abattoirs at Wyndham. The hills of Old Texas are a good place to collect the white quartz used for spearheads.  ā€�Dat white stone from the hill, they break ā€�im up for spear. Good spear dat one.ā€™
 
EXHIBITED
Passing On Tradition - New and Old Kimberley, June 2010, Coo-ee Art GalleryBarry Stern Galleries, August 2009, Maunsell WickesWritten in the Land-The Life of Queenie McKenzie, March 2009,