About Us
Our vision is that the culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will be understood and honoured through the creative arts.
Ayeye Atyenhe Art is a partnership of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, initially based on Arrernte land at Alice Springs. We will collaborate with a growing number of Aboriginal artists in the Northern Territory and facilitate the development of unique and authentic Indigenous art. The sale of artworks through this site directly supports and empowers the artists to sustain themselves and to continue to use their talents and skills professionally. A percentage of each sale is also donated to an Indigenous Foundation, to assist people in need.
In the East Arrernte language, ayeye atyenhe (pronounced phonetically as a-year a-chin) means ‘My Story’. My Story Art.
Our artists create traditional Aboriginal art for sale – painting the stories of their land and their culture. We are excited to also offer a unique opportunity in which Aboriginal artists can tell your story on canvas in a mix of traditional and contemporary styles.
Our Values
HONOUR of Indigenous peoples, knowledge and culture.
INTEGRITY in dealing with our culture, our community and the general public.
HONESTY in all of our dealings with other people as well as being true to ourselves.
RESPECT of Indigenous people, heritage, ways of life, intellectual copyrights and law.
PASSION in what we do and how we do it, always doing our best.
CARE for others, our land, our history and our culture.
What is your story?
In Aboriginal culture, relationships are key – central to who people are and how they relate to others and their environment. To understand who a person is you need to understand or appreciate the connections of people to each other and the land that they live on. Art is an expression of the telling, documentation and preservation of these stories.
At Ayeye Atyenhe Art, we hope to inspire both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to commission our artists to capture their stories on canvas. We invite people to reflect on and share their identities and any significant life experiences, whilst inviting Indigenous culture into their homes and businesses.
We also hope to educate our customers through our products and raise their awareness and appreciation of Indigenous people.
Meet Our Artists
Ayeye Atyenhe Art is pleased to introduce the talented Indigenous artists who will be supplying their work through us. As we bring more artists on board, we hope to showcase a range of Indigenous art styles, including from Central Australia, East Arnhem Land and elsewhere within the Northern Territory. Our artists can create both traditional and personalised artworks.
Marie Ryder
Marie is excited by the opportunity to share her traditional stories through her art, as well as being able to give a traditional artistic representation to the stories of others.
Marie grew up at Santa Teresa (Ltyentye Apurte) community, 80 kilometres south-east of Alice Springs with her eight younger brothers and sisters. Her mother is Therese Ryder, a highly respected illustrative and landscape artist.
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Marie is excited by the opportunity to share her traditional stories through her art, as well as being able to give a traditional artistic representation to the stories of others.
Marie grew up at Santa Teresa (Ltyentye Apurte) community, 80 kilometres south-east of Alice Springs with her eight younger brothers and sisters. Her mother is Therese Ryder, a highly respected illustrative and landscape artist.
Marie is married to Kevin Bird Mpetyane (grandson of Ada Bird Petyarre) and lives happily with their three children between Kevin’s country in the Utopia Region, north-east of Alice Springs, and Alice Springs itself. Marie also has another two children from her first marriage. She is now a proud grandmother.
Marie first put paint to canvas when she was in her early 20’s. As a child, she watched her mother painting, observing her techniques and from this developed her own style. Her paintings are a celebration of the bush foods from Central Australia. They are highly representational, using rich colours to depict her country. Her work has been represented in many group exhibitions both in Australia and overseas. Her work is also held in many private collections around the world.
Marie reflects on her own story:
“I grew up watching my mother paint. I would sit for hours and just watch her paint landscapes. She was amazing. She could see her country in her mind and even if she wasn’t at that spot she could paint it. It was like going on tour with my mother in her home. She birthed me physically and she did it in painting as well.
But I am not a landscape artist. I had to find my own style, which I have done for a number of years now. My paintings tell of bush food, of women being strong and providing for their families, of plants and animals to feed our families. Places and times of strength for women. Now I am seeing my daughters develop as artists as well, as they develop their styles. Styles that show women dancing and celebrating, women in ceremony, women caring for family and culture.
I want to be honest with you. I am a good artist. I take pride in my work and my stories, and people appreciate it. But selling art is hard. It’s a competitive world and I have often struggled to provide basics like power and food. Some days are still like that now.
A few years ago, I was asked if I could paint someone else’s story and I thought “Why not? I can try!” So I did. The customer was happy and I was happy. The artwork, a mix of traditional and contemporary styles, is now hanging in his home in Boston, USA. I’m excited about the opportunity to paint other people’s stories – your story, for you to retell.”
Kevin Bird Mpetyane
Kevin Bird Mpetyane comes from a family of artists. His parents are Paddy and Eileen Bird and his grandmother is Ada Bird Petyarre.
Kevin has inherited dreamtime stories through his lineage, which are associated with his country Ilkarwerne and Mulga Bore region. He is a talented artist, whose works showcase considerable appeal in telling men’s stories from his region.
