Bernadine comes from Ltyentye Apurte (Santa Teresa), a small community about 85 km south-east of Mparntwe (Alice Springs), where she was born in 1974. She was raised in the traditional way before going to school in Alice Springs.

Growing up, she learned the Dreaming stories and ceremonies of her Country, and the bush foods and medicines it provides. She comes from a family of well-known artists from the Utopia region, including Abie Loy Kemarre and Josie Petrick Kemarre, and is the sister-in-law of Anna Price Petyarre.

Bernadine’s signature subject is Bush Medicine Leaves. She paints the leaves and petals in sharp, bright brushstrokes, then fills the spaces between with fine white dots for the seeds that let the medicinal plants grow again. The effect is a canvas that seems to burst outwards like fireworks.

She also paints Pencil Yam, using symmetrical strokes of colour for the yams and white dots for their tiny seeds, as well as ceremonies, bush tucker gathering and special places on her Country.