Galya Pwerle’s country is Atnwengerrp and her languages are Anmatyerre and Alyawarre. Galya has had very little exposure to western culture. Galya first picked up a paintbrush in 2004.

Galya is the youngest of the Pwerle Sisters. Most of her family are artists including her older sister the late Minnie Pwerle and sisters Emily and Molly Pwerle, her nieces Barbara Weir and Aileen and Betty Mpetyane. Barbara Weir encouraged Galya and her older sisters Molly and Emily to paint with their famous sister Minnie in 2004.

This Four Sisters workshop was held at Irrweltye and heralded a creative and productive experience for them. Each sister contributed her distinctive approach to Awelye Atnwengerrp – the Women’s Ceremony. Working on the same canvas this unique series of paintings were powerful works in strong, bold colours or were subtle and elegant in soft creams, pale ochres and grey tones. Molly, Emily and Galya all demonstrated the same raw, gestural quality that was so celebrated in Minnie’s work.

Minnie took a close interest in the artistic development of her younger sisters. All four confidently applied paint to canvas from the outset and quickly developed their own unique way to express their Dreaming. These Dreamings have been passed down from generation to generation and now the symbols and patterns are recreated in contemporary works of art, helping to ensure the cultural survival of these people.

Galya paints Awelye Atnwengerrp or Awelye Bush Tomato Atnwengerrp. Awelye means Women’s Ceremony and the bush tomato and bush melon are her Dreamings. Awelye Atnwengerrp is depicted by small curved brushstrokes. Bush Tomato works consist of blunt paintbrush dabs layered over a body paint design that is usually white on a black background. The under painted patterns represent the designs painted on women's bodies during bush tucker ceremonies at Atnwengerrp. Both styles use various colours to form abstract works of great beauty. During these ceremonies the women dance and sing paying homage to their ancestors, the land and the food it provides such as the Bush Tomato. Galya is continually developing her own unique, contemporary style and is proving to be an exciting and progressive artist. In 2005 and 2008 her work was nominated for the prestigious NATSIAA Telstra Art Award which is held annually in Darwin.