Matthew Mpetyan Mbitjana

Anmatyerr man, Matthew Mpetyan was born at the Utopia Homestead in 1961 and currently lives in Camel Camp.
Learning from his father, Motorbike Paddy Ngal, Matthew worked as a stockmen on Utopia Station. He drove cattle over large distances and helped with laborious tasks including fencing and pulling water bores. He now works for the Urapuntja Aboriginal Corporation as a vital employee in the homeland maintenance team.
Matthew started his artistic career carving timber sculptures – taking inspiration from his surroundings, creating cowboys, station men, bullocks and the iconic painted Ute from the bush footy carnivals.
Not long after, Matthew began to find interest in painting canvas. Once again learning from his close family, Motorbike Paddy Ngal, Aunty Angelina Ngal, Uncles Sam Jampijnpa Mpetyan Dixon and Harry Mpetyan Dixon and sister Elizabeth Mbitjana Mpetyan.
Sharing the Arnwekety (Bush Plum) story, Matthew approaches the canvas with a three dimensional approach, using brushes and sticks to create a textured surface, he applies layer after layer of acrylic paint that makes you want to touch it.