Australian Art Collective – Art for Everyone | Australian Aboriginal Art Gallery

Bernadine Johnson

Acrylic on Canvas | Stretched ready to hang

96 x 48 cm | 24009

$880 AUD

Medicine Leaves

In this radiant work, Bernadine Johnson paints the sacred Medicine Leaves from her family’s Country in Central Australia—a subject rich in cultural significance and ancestral knowledge. These leaves, used in traditional bush medicine, are known for their healing properties and are often applied to treat skin ailments, wounds, and spiritual imbalance.

Bernadine’s signature style features delicate, rhythmic brushstrokes that fan out in vibrant, layered clusters. The composition bursts with movement and harmony, echoing the natural spread of the plant across Country. Using a warm palette of pinks, ochres, teals, greens, and earthy oranges, she evokes both the beauty and vitality of the land after rain.

This piece is a celebration of renewal—honouring the plant’s power to regenerate and its central place in Aboriginal life. Through Medicine Leaves, Bernadine pays tribute not only to the physical healing properties of these plants but also to their spiritual role in grounding and connection.

Her work is a testament to the deep respect held for bush medicine and the stories that continue to nourish her community.

Colour Pallette – Pink, Orange, Teal, Yellow & White.