About the artist
Betty was born at Hermannsburg (Ntaria) in 1949. Her father came from Haasts Bluff, north west of Hermannsburg. Her mother was Martha Namatjira, one of Albert Namatjira’s daughters.
Betty was only 12 months old when her father passed away and her mother died several years later. Albert and his wife Rubina then undertook the responsibility of raising her. Betty learnt watercolour art through her grandfather and developed an interest in it but has only been painting regularly in more recent years, alongside her husband Pastor Marcus Wheeler.
Marcus and Betty have known each other since their school days at the mission and they were married in the old church (built 1897), which is now part of the Hermannsburg Historic Precinct.
Discover other artists
Hubert Pareroultja
Hubert has been painting water colours since he was a young boy. In those early years he learnt by watching Albert Namatjira, his father Reuben Pareroultja and his uncles Otto and Edwin. Hubert prefers to live on his traditional country west of Hermannsburg.
Gloria Napurrurla Pannka
Gloria Pannka was born at Hermannsburg in 1953. She is a granddaughter of Albert Namatjira and daughter of Claude Pannka who was one of the first generation of Hermannsburg water colour artists.