Leonie bought the screen, painted it with a base coat and then painted the Eora to Alice story onto the screen.

This work was exhibited in the 'The Art Of Storytelling' Exhibition at the Boomalli Aboriginal Artist's CO-OP. This exhibition was a collection of the work of the artist, depicting her childhood in Walgett and Coonamble and also her husband's life on Gingie, the former Aboriginal mission station at Walgett. The exhibition consisted of eighteen paintings, a plate and this screen.

Screen, 'Eora to Alice', wood / metal / paint, Leonie Dennis, Sydney, Australia, 1999.
Landscape orientation mural consisting of four vertical panels hinged together. On each corner and on both vertical ends are metal plates with impressed floral designs. Spaced along the horizontal ends are metal studs. Secured to the rear of each panel, at the top, are ornate picture hooks which, like the metal plates, studs, and the rear of the object, are painted in black acrylic paint. The image on the front is multicoloured, in acrylic paint. Depicted in the top half is a continuous oval road around which are a bridge, churches, a train and carriages marked 'Australian National / THE GHAN', and a figure standing under a sign marked 'Alice Springs'. The lower half is bisected by an ochre coloured road decorated with lizards and insects. Above this road, are buildings marked 'Eora Centre' with figures, and 'Legal Aid'. On the far right is a group of figures, some with sticks. Below the ochre road are plants with names written next to them, including 'BUSH TOMATO', 'MULGA TREE', 'QUANDONG' and 'MISTIETOE'. Interspersed with these are Uluru, tents, camels and a bus with people on it.
The four panels represent a story told in four parts, when combined they tell the whole story of the artist's journey, from Eora Centre in Sydney to Alice Springs and back. The work is representative of the artist's experiences in meeting Aboriginal Elders and what she saw on her journey, that is, turtles, camels, native bush tucker, as well as natural and built features at various locations on the return journey on the Ghan train between Adelaide and Alice.

Designer: Dennis, Leonie; Sydney

Maker: Dennis, Leonie; Sydney


User: Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative; Sydney

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