artist – Bernadine Johnson
artist profile

community – Utopia

title: Bush Medicine Leaf

year painted: 2022

dimensions: 90 x 60cm
medium: Acrylic on canvas
code: 1625

stretched: yes

This artwork can be viewed at our Sydney gallery.

about this painting:  Bernadine’s bush medicine leaves are uniquely identifiable by the bursts of leaves she paints across the canvas to provide depth and an energised rhythm.  Bernadine paints in contemporary colour fields. The Leaves are taken from the Bush Fuscia (Eremophila) and are collected by the women to create this versatile medicine. It is used in a variety of different ways. The leaves can be boiled in water and the liquid used as a drinking medicine. This medicine can ease stomachache. The Leaves can also be crushed before being boiled and was traditionally mixed with Kangaroo Fat to create a salve that is applied to burns and abrasions on the skin. It can also be beneficial for dry skin or sore muscles. Today, this bush medicine rub is made using bees wax and olive oil in place of the Kangaroo fat.

View works by Bernadine Johnson.