Margaret Turner Petyarre (1945-2008) was born in the Utopia region of Central Australia, and spent most of her life living in her traditional lands. Margaret first became involved in modern art depiction like many other women from Utopia in the late 1970's. A community project was created whereby the women of Utopia were introduced to silk batik making. Margaret depicted bush scenes and her Dreams on the silk batiks, painting women performing the ceremony for the Green Budgerigar, using traditional iconography. The project went on to become a great success, touring around Australia, Scotland and Eire and was later acquired in full by the Holmes a Court Collection.

Margaret eventually moved to acrylic paints and canvas in the 1990's and was supported and guided by the respected artists within her Petyarre skin group. Her work depicts woman's ceremonies that involve painting their upper bodies in traditional paint markings. During ceremonies women will participate in many song lines and dance cycles to pay homage to their ancestors and Dreaming stories.

Margaret was at the forefront of Anmatyerre aboriginal art and mentored many of fellow woman, including her daughter. Sadly Margaret passed away on the 28th of July 2008.